Accidental Tie
by Sidura
Summary: Set after Buffy's Chosen and Supernatural's Devil's Trap An accidental find sets one family to find another. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners.

Set after Season 7 Buffy and Season 1 Supernatural

A/N Thought I wouldn't muck up the Buffy time line, but hey guess what I did, well I think I did. Therefore, I thought I would update this to say that I am silly and sorry, and to explain. So next time I muck up please let me know 'cause I'm very new to this.

The majority of Buffy/Supernatural sister stories I've read have her as the little sis - so what would happen if she was the big sister instead, so I've added a couple years on to the Scoobies ages, but that is all I've changed. So, Sunnydale still sunk in 2003 because I had no idea how to get round that one.

* * *

It was made of wood with carvings of swirls and flowers on the lid. It had a myriad of coloured splodges on the sides from the hundreds of little accidents that had occurred over the years, some of which were smeared from the failed attempts to remove them. In truth, it was no different from the thousands like it, a carved wooden box that could be found in most malls around the world.

This one held chalks and paints and the accompanying bits and bobs that people accumulate over the years. The things that are put away in places that you think are safe and private. Things that tend to be forgotten; either from simple absentmindedness, or they just seem to disappear into the metaphorical ether just when they are needed the most.

In truth, everyone has something like it, a little box or file where they keep things. But, in this case the box's primary purpose was to keep art supplies, it was however, also special to a few for other reasons. It had belonged to her; she had bought it when she still had dreams of being an artist in her own right. However, as time went on, dreams changed, life happened, and now it provided link to the past, though it still contained art supplies. That was the real reason it was treasured.

Every time Dawn opened the lid, she felt warm inside, it reminded her of the times she had watched her Mom use it, of the times that Joyce had let her paint. It had been a special thing that her and her mother had shared, something that her sister never really had gotten, even when she didn't have a destiny to fulfil. But Buffy had understood what it had meant to Dawn, and what it symbolised.

For that reason, it was one of the few things that had made it onto the bus, that and a stuffed pink pig, whose sole purpose was not for the fighting of evil.

The irony is that if Dawn had not been so attached to that box of art supplies no one would have known, so many lives would not have been affected, and the truth would never come to light.

-

* * *

The sun came through the attic skylight and she knew that the present was late, but she wanted it to be just right. Willow and Kennedy deserved nothing less.

The past few years, though hectic, had been relatively good to them all; sure, there had been the highs and the lows, the time when Angel and the gang had gone missing. In the end Spike and Illyria had come out the other end - no one was sure what had happened to Angel. Spike had his theories, but kept most of them to himself, though there had been rumours and sightings, nothing could be confirmed.

Both Buffy and Faith had taken his disappearance hard; and the loss of Gunn and Wesley had hit them all, but the fact that they had gone down fighting was a testament to them. Their story would go down in legend. Illyria had sworn to destroy the rest of Wolfram and Hart and all others responsible for Wes's death. As for Spike, well as he said, "Who else is going to keep the smurf out of trouble?" Both of them had made it to the service.

Giles had taken up residence in England rebuilding the council; he even had Andrew running around doing a lot of the footwork. Xander had settled back in North America, organizing and training, even had time to keep track of Spike and Lyri from time to time. He had had some trouble keeping the peace between the non-trouble making demons, and the demon hunting community, they were all coming round.

Faith loved South America, and even when she and Robin were having one of their on/off moments, they were still a formidable team. Rona was getting in touch with her African heritage, Vi was living it large in the land down under, and Choa Ann had set up a very efficient training house in Beijing. Willow and Kennedy, after helping Faith and Robin, had travelled, finally setting up home in St. Petersburg.

This had left the rest of Europe for Buffy, which had taken the form of a grand European tour for her and Dawn after school had finished, however that was about to end as the younger sister had gotten into Oxford.

Giles had been so proud when she told him, "At least one of the Summers will finally finish her education!"

Right now Buffy was happy, even though things with The Immortal had cooled. That had been inevitable, especially after Angel. Xander had said it was for the best and that she could do better - though Dawn had thought he was just glad that he no longer had to deal with questions from Spike on the subject.

Yes, threats had come and gone, slayers found and lost, but at present, it was calm no big bad coming round the mountain. Therefore, the girls had decided that they were going to take advantage - and everyone had came.

Willow had looked so beautiful in her silk ivory gown and Xander had been so proud. Though, as he walked her down the aisle, he had joked that he could still create a diversion and she could make a run for it if she had gotten cold feet. It wouldn't have been right if he hadn't cracked a line.

Kennedy had looked so serene, nervous, and happy all at the same time, as she had walked down towards the altar with Giles. The ceremony had been perfect just before dawn, with a mix of races in attendance, demon, human, slayer and wiccan.

If only she had gotten the painting finished in time. It wasn't as if she didn't have a good reason - they had just gotten in when children had started to disappear in Wales, and then there was the meeting of everyone at the airport. Now the hullabaloo was now over, and Dawn 'the Artist' Summers could finish her masterpiece for the happy couple.

Of course, that would mean finishing the sky, which would mean that she would need the white, which always fell to the bottom, next to the old chalk and the paper lining. Paper with writing on it - she had never noticed that before.

It was in handwriting that she recognised - it was probably some old shopping list or her Mom confessing to a secret crush on David Cassidy. As Dawn carefully pulled the old pages out of the box she saw that they were neither - they were old diary entries. As Dawn read, the brush slipped out of her hand and the one word that she could form in her head was the name of the only other person in the cottage at that moment.

"Xander!"

* * *

"Dean. Wake up."

His vision started to clear, and the off-white ceiling tiles started to come into focus.

"Sammy? If that's you, it's too early," he said, turning over in his bed.

Sam shook his head, "No it's not dude. It's discharge day - you can't put it off any longer."

Dean stretched, "Christ is it really morning?"

Dean looked over his shoulder and looked at his eager beanpole of brother, who was standing in the doorway with a wheelchair.

"Your chariot awaits!" announced Sam, with a big grin on his face.

It had been just over six weeks since the car had been blindsided by the semi; two of which Sam and his father had to sit, wait and pray over Dean's unconscious form. Two whole weeks where the middle member of the Winchester family had been unable to fulfil his role as referee to John and Sam's never ending fight. Two weeks in which John and Sam had reached an understanding, that all else was on hold until they were sure that Dean was out of the woods.

This unfortunately had lead to the phone call, which neither man had wanted to make. But when it was clear that they were to be discharged before they knew what was going to happen to Dean, it needed to be made.

Bobby could take care of the car and the weapons, one more heap in his yard wouldn't be noticed. But, with John's leg in a cast and Sam's cracked ribs, and of course not knowing what aftercare would be needed for his eldest; desperate times called for desperate measures.

So, the gruff, take no crap from anyone, ex marine summoned up all his courage, knowing well enough that Dean would kill him for doing this.

"Missouri, I was wondering and I understand if you don't want to, but with Dean still being in the state he's in and with Sam, I was hoping that you could put us up for a while?"

So a few weeks later, Dean Winchester was being wheeled - against his will as he had stated many times to his little brother, to the hell that was known as Missouri Mosley's house. Where he would eat good nutritious food and not roadside diner grease; he would have clean clothes, sleep on sheets he knew had been washed; and for a short time, he would be mothered to within an inch of his life. Sam knew that for all his brother's protesting, he would at least on a subconscious level, love every minute of it.

As they came to the nurses' station, the two boys saw the small little black woman standing talking to the nurse behind the desk; she had a look etched on her face that expressed both concern and impatience.

"Well boy - you took your sweet time," she said, looking down at the figure in the wheel chair.

"It's a hospital, they don't keep you in for no reason," Dean answered, in a cocky tone.

He saw the blanket in her hand - the fussing had begun. He looked up at Sam, as she took the bag of medication from the top of the desk and put it in her bag, and then proceeded to go for the blanket.

"If you think that you are putting that over me, think again!"

Sam just looked at Missouri and then to his brother, he bit his bottom lip - the next few weeks were going to be fun.

"Okay child - but if you catch a chill just because you want to preserve your image then don't complain to me!" She turned and started to walk away. "It's not like you have anyone left to impress, these ladies have been looking after you and have probably seen everything you got anyway."

Dean started to grumble under his breath; she stopped in her tracks and turned pointing a finger directly at him.

"Don't you even think that young man!"

At that point, Sam could no longer hold it in - he burst into laughter.

"Oh you are so enjoying this, aren't you?" responded his brother in a sulky voice.

Sam reined in his amusement in for a second, "Dad's waiting dude."

Dean asked, "Where is he?"

"Your father is outside, by the time he'd have gotten up here it would have been time for supper, and we have a long enough drive," responded Missouri.

"His cast is coming off next week. So until then we have the old man captive," added Sam.

As Sam wheeled his brother down the front entrance, he noticed his brother's load seemed to lighten when they saw their father standing in front of the old station wagon. He was on crutches with his right leg encased in plaster, but he had a look of relief on his face as he saw his boys - both of his boys, together in the light of day, and not under hospital lights waiting for doctors and test results.

* * *

"I can't tell her. I can't Xander."

Dawn paced back and forth ringing her hands, trying to get the paint off, as Xander stood in the doorway thoughtfully thumbing his way through the half dozen torn pages in his hands.

"We don't know if there is anything to tell yet."

He tried to sound reassuring, knowing full well, that this was no longer the 14- year-old who would hang on his every word.

"Nothing to tell? This is huge - this is life changing, you do know what this could mean?"

"Yes I do understand what this could mean Dawn; and you are starting to sound hysterical."

Dawn stopped pacing and took a step closer to the man in the doorway, at the same time taking a deep breath, and in a calm tone, or as calm as she could muster at that point, she replied, "Hysterical? To be honest I think that I'm taking this rather calmly, thank you very much."

"Yes, you are, but as I'm guessing that you want to talk about this, so getting upset at the beginning of the conversation won't do you any good,"

She looked at him, tilting her head to one side, "You swallow a therapy book or something?"

"No. But I work with teenagers, all of which are female."

"So this gives you an insight into the female mind?" she said slightly insulted.

"No, just the hormonally imbalanced insane ones," he grinned, causing her to crack a smile and relax for a second.

"You need to get out more."

Xander stood there for a second, "Yeah - I need more male friends, human ones, there's too much estrogen flying about at home and a night out with the guys should not involve keeping Clem out of the Yak urine vat."

"How's it working out with him being in Cleveland?"

"Good - he's a great help with the laundry!" he said, as he crossed his arms.

"Don't the girls help?" she asked, though she was not surprised.

"Not really, and he says that the fabric softener goes great with cheese."

He changed his tone, "Don't get me wrong, I love you guys but when it gets to the point when I'm glad to see Spike or Christ even Andrew I need time off from the girls."

She looked at him and trying to sound helpful, "A girl of your own might help."

"Dawn, don't start on that."

"It's been three years since Anya. We're all worried about you, you know. You're all alone over there and we've got people, and our little missions," she said, trying to broach a subject that obviously been a point of discussion.

"Dawn, I do try and get out there, but you know how hard it is. I'm playing den mother to seven impressionable girls who have seemed to have decided that the only manly pursuits that I'm gonna get time for are scratching, belching and DIY."

He tried to rethink where this was going.

"Dawn, the last date I went on was interrupted by Inez and Mel turning up at the restaurant demanding the keys to the flame thrower cabinet. Anyway, what about your love life?" he said, shifting the conversation onto her.

"Please have you met my overprotective sister? I'm lucky if I get a guy through the door before she starts."

"She gotten worse since splitting with, you know?"

Dawn looked at him for a second, "Yeah, though lately she's lightened up a bit - she's stopped checking for a pulse."

"With her track record can you blame her? She only wants the best for you."

"Like Mom did when she hid this from us?"

"So, we back to you putting a new groove in Giles' floor then?" he asked, not expecting her to reply to the comment.

"I just can't believe Mom would do something like this, and not say a word, for all those years."

"Not that I'm saying what she did was right, in anyway, but in her mind it was all done with and there was no point in dredging up the past."

"Xander, look at this look at what she wrote. Not dredging up the past? This is a bombshell!"

"It doesn't make a difference about how she felt about you guys - she was your Mom."

"But she lied! She lied to us all." Dawn started to shake, her fists were clenched; he pulled her tight into him hugging her as she crumpled in his arms.

"What if it's true?" she asked him.

"You don't know if it is. If it only happened once chances are."

"It only has to happen once Xander, you know that!"

"Yeah I know."

She started to weep, "I don't know what I'm going to tell her, I can't not, you know."

He sighed, he wanted to protect her - protect both of them from this.

"Do you want me to?" Xander asked.

"No!" said Dawn in a defiant tone, "but I have to find some way to tell her gently."

"With Buffy? Gentle is never going to work."

"Maybe if we wait till we're by ourselves?" she asked.

"She'll need everyone around her Dawnie."

"Who's left?"

He thought for a second before running through the departures, "Spike left this morning, Robin and Faith last night; so it's just us and Kennedy."

"Will you stay?" she looked up at him with tears welling up in her eyes.

He hugged her tightly, his heart breaking.

"As long as you need me kiddo. I'll be here."

* * *

Willow ran up the stairs, she couldn't wait for the unveiling. Dawn's paintings had really come along in the past couple of years. The childish aspect of her work had begun to disappear and a real vision had started to take hold; both hope and realism, had begun to shine through. Dawn had been so apologetic about it not being ready for the wedding, but she wanted to be prefect for them just like their big day.

It was going to be a quick peak to see how she was doing.

Buffy and Giles were seeing Vi off at the airport and Kennedy was off running errands, they'd all be back soon - so a quick peak wouldn't do any harm.

As she opened the door, she saw the sobbing figure of Dawn in Xander's arms. He waved his hand telling her to wait.

"Dawn?" she asked concerned, causing the weeping figure to look up and on seeing her friend started to dry her eyes.

"I'm okay Will, just give me a minute."

Willow looked at the other occupant in the room.

"We'll be down in a minute, OK," he said, taking control of the situation.

Willow was about to close the door but stopped for a second to add, "I'll be downstairs if you need me?"

"Thanks," Xander nodded.

She put the kettle on and got the mugs ready, then went to get the milk out of the fridge. She glanced up the stairs, wishing that they would come down. Everything had been going so well, everyone had been happy; maybe they had gotten some bad news when she was out - no one had died, well not supernaturally.

Spike and Leery had gotten on the cargo plane okay; Faith's plane wasn't stopping in the US or any country that had an extradition treaty at least. Xander was okay - he had not said anything was wrong, and the hell mouth was quiet at the moment, she would have sensed if anything was wrong.

Suddenly it hit her, "God he's sick. I've been so caught up with stuff that I haven't felt it and he's just told Dawn - that's it!"

She shouldn't pry, but a quick look wouldn't hurt - just to prepare herself for the worse.

"No you don't young lady!" he said, as he walked down the wooden staircase into the kitchen.

"Don't what?" she asked, in a guilty tone, as she continued to get the tea ready.

"You know, snoop," he said, as he waved his hand in the air.

She dropped the teabags in the pot, "I wouldn't do that."

"Will - you've got to be careful with that. You're going to damn yourself one day, you know. She'll be down in a minute."

Willow opened her mouth to say something, but he beat her to it.

"And before you ask - no-one is sick, dying, pregnant, possessed, bankrupt, in the processes of losing their soul, or being pulled into another reality!"

"What?" Willow tilted her head and broke into a smile.

"I've covered everything haven't I?" asked Xander.

"Think so, but are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," he replied, "And I don't need your gifts to see it - so stay out of our heads. Where is the sugar?"

"Tea's up then?" Dawn asked, her face was puffy and her eyes red, and she had a fragile smile on her face.

"You know the British, cup of tea; stiff upper lip and the entire world will be alright, ducky."

Willow looked at Xander, "Milk and sugar is on the table and Mr. Van Dyke here will get the biscuits."

"Oh come on you two," he said as he picked up the pack of hob knobs, "You're a tough audience."

"Xander, I've seen Clanic demons with better impressionist skills," said the red head.

"They don't have vocal chords!" said Xander, slightly insulted.

"Exactly!" responded both women in unison.

"So you okay now?" asked the concerned Willow, as Dawn sat down at the table.

"Will," interrupted Xander, who was still standing by the kitchen counter.

"It's alright," Dawn said to her protector, "She'll find out sooner or later. It'll affect the whole family."

"I'm just thinking that you might want to talk to your sister first," advised Xander.

Dawn looked into her tea, as if it held all the answers.

"Yeah, but just in case," Dawn continued to peer into the mug.

Willow looked at Xander understanding what had just been said, it was just them in the house and Kennedy wasn't due back for a while. Whatever this was, if it was big enough to make Dawn this concerned and get in this state; if Buffy actually physically lost it, it would be up to her to hold her.

Willow turned back to Dawn, "Dawn, What happened?"

Dawn looked straight into Willow's eyes to see not her quiet and steady friend but the Guardian, The Witch staring back at her.

"I found some of my Mom's old diary entries - she cheated on Dad and … Buffy … well Dad might not be her father."

* * *

"I'll eat most things, but I take exception to grey mush first thing in the morning."

He pushed the oatmeal round the bowl as if he was 5 years old.

"Dean, eat your breakfast," said Sam.

"Did I ask for your input geek boy?"

"No, but you need to eat, Dean," reiterated Sam.

"Yeah food, not mush!" stated Dean as he continued to push the food with his spoon.

"If you don't eat you'll know what will happen!" replied Sam in an irritated tone.

John stood silently at the doorway watching his sons bicker as they did when they were children. Though this time the roles had been reversed, how many times had he seen it before and how many times had it ended with Sammy being pinned to the floor with Dean spoon-feeding him lucky charms?

Given enough encouragement, Sam would have his revenge. Though, for today at least Dean would be safe from being pushed off his chair and having oatmeal shoved in his face.

"You finish that child, you hear me!" Missouri said, as she flitted round the table, giving Sam a cup of coffee.

"All I need is coffee Missouri," he looked at her, with hope in his hazel green eyes.

She looked at him, "You've been unconscious and in hospital for the best part of two months you've got to build up your strength."

"Right, but I've been in solids for a while you know. Toast, I can handle toast - that okay?"

But, it was too late, she had disappeared into the kitchen.

"Best not argue with her son," said John.

Dean looked dejected at his father before turning to his brother, "Pass the sugar, will you?"

* * *

She leafed through the pages, while picturing a young Joyce, scared and alone, as she penned the words, and then tearing them out of the book before hiding them just in case the worse had happened and questions had to be answered.

"Well what do you think?" asked Dawn hoping for reassurance.

"You have to tell her," stated Willow, reiterating the answer Dawn already knew.

Dawn, looked at her, unsure of what to do next, "How? - What do I say? - How will she take it?"

"I don't know on all of those. But, we'll be here for both of you," answered Willow.

"I know."

Dawn choked back the tears, which had begun to rise again.

"Know what?" asked the woman at the doorway.

"Dawn, are you OK?" asked Buffy, seeing the redness in her sister's eyes.

Xander stood up straight, taking his hand off the kitchen worktop that he had been leaning on.

"Buffy you should sit down."

Buffy tensed, "What's happened?"

Dawn looked at her sister, who in a quiet whispered tone said, "Please sit."

"I'll get the brandy," said Willow, as she jumped up from the table; before Xander caught her eye, causing her to sit down again.

"Coward!" he said, to his best friend, "I'll get it okay, you stay!"

"Get what? I heard the word brandy, that wouldn't be my brandy would it?" asked the tall Englishman, who had followed Buffy inside.

"Yes big fella, and you can help me get it while the girls talk."

As Giles and Xander left the kitchen, Buffy pulled out a chair and in a sombre tone asked the others,

"Who's dead?"

"No-one," replied Dawn.

"Who's risen?"

"No-one," replied Willow.

"What then?" asked the confused Buffy.

Dawn solemnly admitted, "I found these in Mom's paint box."

She passed the pieces of paper to her sister and let her digest the words left to them by their mother. She watched the woman in front of her and waited for her reaction as the atmosphere in the room chilled.

Buffy turned to her younger sister with a harsh look in her eye, "Is this for real?"

"This is real," Dawn answered, anticipating this reaction.

Buffy looked at her sister, "No. This is some sick joke Dawn."

"They are real. I found them in Mom's art box."

The slayer turned to Willow, the one she trusted as the last word in all matters to do with information.

"They aren't faked, and I can't sense anything demonic about them," confirmed the witch.

She sat there silently stunned - something that they didn't expect, they expected anger, possibly rage but not this.

Xander put the large brandy down in front of the slayer, though she barely seemed to register it.

"What is going on?" asked Giles as he handed a glass to Willow.

Three of the four younger members of the group looked at each other unsure of what to say. This was Buffy's news so it was up to her to speak.

But, it was the youngest member of the group that spoke up. "Giles, I…"

"Mom cheated on Dad." came the curt interruption, from her older sister.

"Pardon?" replied the shocked Englishman.

He had no time for Hank Summers; his behaviour towards his daughters after Joyce's death had left him in no doubt about the man. However, he could never image Joyce being unfaithful.

Dawn reached over and placed her hand over her sister's as Buffy went on, "Yeah, Mom had a little fling!"

Her voice started to waver, "So instead of being the product of couple in love - I maybe the result of a quick fumble up against some alley wall."

Giles looked at Xander before bending down beside the woman whom he considered to be the daughter he never had. He thought of all of them as his children in a way, he'd spent more time with them than their actual parents, with the exception of Joyce.

They'd all lost something that day - the image of the woman they had all loved had been tarnished. The cold reality of the stupid things, normal everyday people could do had crept into their little world of demons and apocalypses.

"I'm sure it wasn't like that," he said, as he took the pages from her hand.

"Yes it is," Buffy replied.

He saw the tears beginning to well in her eyes, the little girl crying from inside was begging him to "Make it all go away. Please make it all alright again," this from his warrior, the leader, the person he'd seen face down thousand dangers begging him to make it all better again.

He looked at the paper in his hand and taking a sip from the glass in his other, he read a few lines of his old friend's confession.

_"Oh God I'm late. It was so stupid I know I shouldn't have stormed out. I know he was telling me the truth, that waitress, she was coming on to him and he told her to go away. But I was so angry at him, I should of stayed, I should have had it out with him there and then and not just stormed off, not gone to that bar, not gotten drunk, not done...  
I just pray I'm going to wake up from this nightmare - but it wasn't a dream was it? - Look at me I'm asking a bit of paper questions, like that is going to help.  
Jesus I don't even know his name - I think he said it was John, but how do I know? He seemed nice, but I was upset and angry and not thinking straight… No if I am pregnant, it's Hank's. We have been talking about a baby and things have been getting better.  
But what if its not … I'm pregnant by some soldier I picked up in a bar somewhere just to get even."  
_  
"She didn't even know his whole name. Isn't that great. My biological father could be some drunk in a bar somewhere," Buffy sniffed, as she tried to hold back the tears.

Giles looked at her and still examining the papers in his hand, "You don't know that - firstly she had a first name John - he appears to be a marine being discharged and on his way home … (he flicked through the pages) back to Kansas."

Buffy replied, "An ex marine called John from Kansas, that narrows it down so much!"

A cough came from the other side of the table as the slim red head made her presence known - as both Giles and Buffy looked at her, Willow gave them one of her , "you know better to say that in front of me!" looks.

"Anyway what would I say to him if I did find him? Did you hook up with some girl in a bar in California in '78? Oh, you did - well I maybe your daughter. Come on that is so Sally Jesse," Buffy said to the whole room.

Willow after taking a sip from her glass of brandy added, "It is there is you want it."

"Will - we don't know that Hank isn't Buffy's Dad or even if she want to go there," interjected Xander.

Will turned to Xander, "I'm just saying that it's on the table."

"Doesn't that fall under some Wiccan rule or something?" he asked.

"No, I'm not asking for myself and if you find him you can ask him to take a test to confirm things, if that makes you feel better."

"What about Dad?" asked Dawn in a quiet voice.

"Dad? I hadn't really thought - we haven't heard from him in so long," responded her sister.

"There is nothing to tell him yet Dawn and if there is something to tell him, we can cross that bridge when we come to it … and all of us will be here to support both of you," said Giles to the scared girl at his table.

"So what now?" Buffy asked in a proactive manner, "What do you need?"

"You sure of this?" asked Xander.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"I'll need some herbs, a map and a little bit of your blood," said Willow listing her needs.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Text Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners.

* * *

Sam and Missouri collected the breakfast things and started on the washing up as the other two finished their coffee.

As he passed the half-finished bowl of oatmeal to the woman, Sam couldn't help but smile.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" she asked knowingly.

"No ma'am," he automatically replied, before taking in what she actually had asked, "What do you mean?"

"It's alright to admit it that you like having your family together again, even if it is like this," she replied, in a warm comforting tone.

"I'm just happy we're all going to be okay."

"It's alright child, everybody's safe at the moment."

He put down the dishtowel, "It's just that this is the closest thing to normal that we've had in a long time. Things with Dad and me are going okay. As for Dean, I think he needs a break from things; you know our lives. I don't think he's over what that thing did to him."

"He's strong and stubborn just like both you and your father."

Sam looked at her, "That's the problem; he doesn't know how to let anyone in."

"Give him, and yourself, time."

She turned her attention to the bowl in her hands, looking at the remnants of Dean's breakfast.

"Did your brother just try to eat the contents of my sugar bowl?"

Sam peered over her shoulder, "He gave it a go."

* * *

In England, Willow began to chant, waving the smoking sage over the map in front of her and taking her best friend's hand, picked up the knife and sliced into Buffy's flesh.

"Owwww- sorry Will," Buffy said, before sticking her bleeding thumb in her mouth.

But, the focus of the Wiccan continued uninterrupted, muttering words under her breath. A small glow began to appear on the town of Lawrence, Kansas causing Buffy to announce in a solid resolute voice.

"Dad isn't Dad then."

The lights in back room began to flicker and rattle. John jumped up as quickly as he could, followed by his son.

"What was that?" Sam asked, as he came rushing into the room. "You think they've found us?"

"I don't know," replied his father. "Boys, windows and doors!"

"Yes sir!" they replied.

"I don't know what that was, but I'm not sensing anything lingering," said Missouri, as she entered the room.

"I'm not taking any chances. We'll be gone today," John told his old friend.

"No you will not John Winchester - you sit your stubborn obtuse ass back down there, you hear me!"

He stood for a second unsure what to do next.

She turned to return to the kitchen, continuing her train of thought aloud, "Gone today I ask you - can't hardly walk five feet without his stick, let alone the other one - three of them spooking so easily." She looked over her shoulder, "If something dangerous comes into my house I will tell you! So you just sit there and finish your coffee!"

Dean, even though he could barely hide his amusement at the dressing down that his father had just received, stood there waiting for the next order.

"I'll just," John proceeded to sit back down.

Dean looked at his Dad, "Good move Dad."

"OK we have a town. What about an address or possibly a name?" asked Xander, as he put the map he'd printed out, down in front of her.

"Give her a minute," said Dawn.

Willow began to chant again as the sage continued to burn.

The backlight began to start flickering, as Sam began to place the salt ring around the back door - he felt a presence behind him. He turned fully ready to strike.

"Dude! Chill it's just me."

"Jesus Dean, you scared the crap out of me."

Dean pushed his brother playfully, "Scared the crap out of you? What about me, you freak!"

"Sam those lines?" inquired John, who had joined them in the kitchen.

Sam straightened, "Almost finished sir."

"Hurry up," he turned his attention to his oldest, "Dean?"

"Done - should hold."

Sam began to rub his head, trying to focus through the fog that had descended as he was attempting to finish the line at the doorway - he felt heavy; he felt his legs started to go from under him.

"Dean? Dad!"

Dean turned to his brother, "Sammy?"

Dean grabbed his brother as he started to fall, though he was barely able to move him over to one of the kitchen stools.

"Sammy - can you hear me?" he asked, as he squatted in front of his brother.

Sam looked at his brother and his dad; but there was something else was there, powerful but not evil, something searching. Then the haze started to lift and Sam blinked, able to focus again.

"Yeah, yeah I think I'm good."

His brother looked up at his father before turning back to Sam.

"You sure you're with us?" Dean asked, his eyes full of concern.

Sam nodded, continuing to blink for a few seconds, "I'm okay - I'm here bro."

Willow broke out of her trance and began to breathe heavily, "Winchester, John Winchester."

"You okay Willow?" asked Xander.

"Yes."

"You saw him?" Buffy asked.

Willow replied, "Yes. He was with two others, possibly three."

"Xander, glass of water," Giles looked at the younger man, who responded by getting refreshment for his friend.

"And?" Buffy inquired.

Will continued, "He looks okay - human and seems sad, so does your brother."

"Brother?"

Willow nodded, "Well at least one of them was. I'm not sure of the other one."

"We have brothers?" said the slightly surprised Dawn, "How old?"

Willow, took the glass of water from Xander, "Passed through one of them Sammy I think - couldn't see what he or she looked like. As for ages, the one I saw was grown up. Looked like they'd been through a lot."

"What do you mean?" asked Giles.

"The older guy was limping, looked like he had a cast on his leg and the younger one couldn't hold me - I mean Sammy, when I passed through," she explained.

"Hold you?" asked Giles

"Yes." answered Willow, "That was the thing, Sam felt me when I was there."

"Your presence was felt?" the Englishman asked.

Willow nodded, "Yes. Sammy almost passed out."

"This could be serious," he stated.

Dawn looked from Willow to Giles, "How?"

"You may have a sibling who is able to sense forces on the preternatural plane. But not a slayer though, Willow?"

Willow shook her head, "No. Definitely not a slayer."

"And this is a bad thing?" asked Xander.

"I'm not sure," replied Giles.

"Not sure?" said Buffy, questioning her watcher, "You know we don't like, the not sures!"

"A lot of slayer family histories were lost when the council was destroyed. We only have the recollections of those still standing," explained Giles.

"So?" asked Buffy.

Giles continued, "To be honest we haven't had the time to concentrate on that aspect of slayer life over the past few years. Robin and Dawn are the only two examples we have, of what the long-term effects of having a slayer in the family can mean, both passively and genetically. So if you do have a family member, even one you have never met, that can sense the psychic plane."

"I'll book the plane tickets," interjected Xander.

"Huh?" Buffy looked confused.

"Sorry Buff, I think the whole idea of letting you come to terms with this in your own time has just gone out the window," said Xander, as he patted her on the shoulder.

"Great, so I get to meet this guy whether I want to or not?" said the exasperated Buffy.

Xander looked at her, "Well you could stay here."

Buffy looked at Xander, who had turned to Giles.

"So, three or four tickets?"

"Four?" asked Willow, slightly hurt.

Xander looked at her, "Well you're not going."

"I'm the only one who knows what he looks like," responded Willow.

Xander shook his head, "You are not going - you are going on your honeymoon Missy and there is no getting out of it!"

"Willow, Xander is right. You and Kennedy should be having some down time," said Giles.

"So G-man, you coming or not?" asked Xander.

Buffy looked at Giles, to which he responded, "I'll be here if you need me."

She smiled at him, "Thanks."

* * *

"You sure it wasn't a demon."

"Nothing demonic came into this house John," said the woman, as she passed the box of pills and the glass of water to Sam.

"It wasn't evil Dad. I'm sure of that - it was just searching," said Sam as he opened the box.

"Any other feelings about it?" asked Dean.

Sam looked at his brother, causing Dean to respond, "Dude I'm just asking."

Sam looked back to his father and Missouri, "It had a personality behind it, but it wasn't hostile or angry, and I think it knew I could feel it then I..."

"Had your episode?" added Dean.

"Dean, let your brother speak," said John.

"It was weird, it just moved on, when it knew it was spotted - it was surprised. But there was something else," said Sam, not sure how to put what he had felt into words.

"Well what?" asked Missouri.

"It wasn't… it was an impression of relief, and I'm sure I heard something, like a voice in my head."

John looked at Sam, "What?"

Sam continued, "Yeah, before it left I could have sworn it said something."

John became more alert, "What did it say?"

Sam, though slightly confused, said, "It said, 'Could be worse.'"

"Okay strange, but it wasn't threatening right - that's good?" asked Dean.

"No it wasn't angry - I think it was just happy that you guys cared," explained Sam.

"So we have a possible spirit doing a random sneak and peak?" asked Dean.

"Possibly." said Sam.

"And it just so happened to come here?" said a skeptical John.

"Could just be a restless new spirit who is just looking for its family, and found you three instead," interjected Missouri.

John looked at her, "I don't like it."

Missouri looked at him, "You are in no shape to go looking for this thing John. Best thing you can do today is sit tight; let me and Sam let you know if anything is on its way."

"Missouri we might be better going, you know?" said the slightly solemn middle Winchester.

"Dean sweetheart, I've said this before, the three of you are welcome here and I know the risks," said the little psychic.

* * *

A few days later, the rental pulled into the local motel of Lawrence.

"So welcome to Kansas!" announced Xander.

Buffy stretched as Dawn continued to snooze in the back.

"You know we should have a dog - this would be better if we had a Toto," said Xander.

"You are getting way too much into the Wizard of Oz analogy," said the tired passenger sitting beside him.

"Always could relate to the lion."

Buffy looked at him, "I thought you were more of the scarecrow."

"Oh that's cold. Anyway Return to Oz was much scarier," he replied.

She looked at him slightly confused, "Huh?"

"The rollers terrified me."

"Yeah, sure Xander," she was too tired to continue with this. "Look you sort out the rooms and I'll wake sleeping beauty."

"You want me to get the bags?" he asked.

"If you don't mind."

He closed the car door, "Then we'll get some food and take things from there."

"Can we get a room first?"

He walked round the back of the car and took the bags out of the trunk, "Okay - though you have no idea how many times I would have wished you have said that to me when we were younger."

"Xander!"

He smiled at his shocked friend, "Anyway I have to call Clem, let him know Andrew is on his way - God alone knows what state the house will be in."

"You getting domesticated in your old age?" asked Buffy.

"Excuse me for being house proud," he turned and flounced off in a mock girly way causing his best friend to laugh.

* * *

Sam paced up and down the corridor; he wished that they would hurry. It wasn't like that they were doing anything major, just taking off his Dad's cast; but, with the way that everyone had been acting the past couple of days - he'd be happier once his Dad was more mobile. Granted that he'd still probably need physio, but at least with the cast off the Winchesters could be described at half strength. Dean for all his bluster wouldn't last more than five minutes.

"Hey watch it!"

Sam turned to see the brunette brushing off the drink he had caused her to spill, "Sorry."

"Great!" She looked up at him, "It's okay!" she gritted her teeth, and thought to herself, "Just get away from the klutz and find the others."

This was the second medical centre they had visited, thanks to Willow's sighting of the cast on John's leg, but there were no Winchesters registered. However, Giles was digging for background information, so this was just something to do until Buffy finally plucked up the courage to go to the house.

"You're sure?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, trying to tone down the frustration in her voice.

Sam looked for something a towel, cloth or anything to help. He saw a pile of bed sheets sitting next to the reception and grabbed a pillowcase to hand to her, which she used to dry herself.

"I'm really sorry about this. I wasn't paying attention."

"You think?" she said, "I'll live, but I'm drenched."

"If your top's ruined I … can pay for a new one?"

She looked at him for a second, "It's okay - I think I can save it."

"All right then, we'll see you next week for your therapy session," said the physio.

"I'm sure it'll be OK, I don't need…" John answered politely.

"It's really just an assessment to see what is needed. Keep up with the exercises we gave you today and we'll see how your leg is in a week."

John nodded in agreement taking the cane from the medic and as he walked out of the door he saw his youngest son talking to some girl in the corridor - he expected this from Dean but not from Sam.

"Son you ready?"

Sam turned to face his father, "Yes sir."

He turned back to the girl, "Again I am really sorry."

"Yeah you said; gotto go," she continued her way down the corridor as John walked over to Sam.

"You are getting as bad as your brother."

"What?" asked Sam, as John nodded towards the girl.

"No - I spilled her drink," Sam said in protest.

"Right," John started to hobble his way towards the exit.

Sam started down the corridor after him, "No Dad, seriously!"

Dawn entered the records room and handed the cup she had in her hand to her sister.

"Hey where's mine?" asked Xander.

"I'm wearing it. Bumped into an idiot in the hall; any luck?"

Buffy took a sip of her soda, "Nope no sign of any Winchesters, but it was just an idea."

Dawn bounced on the soles of her feet, "We could try the house that Willow saw?"

"Dawn, I want to know what we'd be walking into," said a frustrated Buffy.

"Buffy - I understand that, but if we have a psychically connected brother/sister/person and we just go and say hello, it probably won't cause the world to end."

Buffy and Xander just looked at her.

Dawn smiled, "Okay, I'll go by myself."

"No we'll both go, and we'll let you know what we find out," said Xander.

* * *

Dawn looked up at the house.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" asked Xander.

Dawn continued to look up the path, "No - but this has to be done,"

Xander thought for a second before offering, "I could just go?"

She shook her head, "No. This isn't just for her."

"I wasn't saying that it was,"

"The monks that made me, they made me from her blood - so this might make this guy my dad too, not just her's - right?"

Xander bit his lip for a second before answering, "I hoped you hadn't thought of that."

"Well I don't think Buffy has either. But, even if she sees this guy and he accepts he's got one daughter he didn't know about, what about the one that was formed to hide a magical ball of energy?"

Xander leaned back in his seat as Dawn got out of the car. He sighed - this was going to be a long day.

He pressed the doorbell to find the door opened by a small black woman.

"Hello. You come for a reading?"

Xander and Dawn looked at each other, and both in unison replied, "Yes."

"Come in please - don't be nervous, I'm Missouri."

"Xander and the midget is Dawn."

The little woman smiled at them, "Nice to meet you. If you give me a minute. I'll just straighten up and be back with you."

The two of them milled around in the hallway.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked Xander.

Dawn picked up one of the magazines that lay on the side table, "This is the address; but Will never said anything about a reader. Could she be the one Will was going on about?"

"No, she said Sammy, not Missouri. Anyway she said that there was parental concern and no offence she's is a little old be your sister."

The woman poked her round the doorway of the sitting room, "You can come in."

Xander made a face at Dawnie as he followed her into the side room.

Missouri turned round, "Excuse me young man, I expect a degree of cynicism but that was plain rude."

"You could sense that?" he said slightly, taken aback.

"Yes I could."

"I'm sorry. I'll be a little bit more considerate," he said, as Dawn smirked.

"Good - please sit," said Missouri as she sat down in one of the armchairs.

Dawn took a seat on the sofa, as Xander stood by the window and noting the line of salt and cats eye shells spread on the sill.

Missouri looked at Dawn, "Now, how can I help? Family troubles I think. Yes?"

"Yes," Dawn wasn't sure where to start, "I found out that my mom… well my sister."

"May have a different daddy than you thought and you're wondering if he'll accept her, accept both of you?"

"She's the only blood family I have," explained Dawn.

Missouri took Dawn's hand, "Oh honey, you don't have to worry."

Tears began to run down Dawn's face.

"Missouri we're back!" said a disembodied voice from the hall.

Sam put the keys in the bowl next to the stairs.

The little woman, begun to get out of her chair, "I'm sorry about this, I have some house guests,"

"If you're busy," sniffed Dawn, "We can come back."

Missouri replied, "Oh no - it's just some old friends, they're recuperating."

"Recuperating?" asked Xander.

"They were in a little accident and needed somewhere to rest up, if you give me a minute I'll be right back to you."

As she left them, Xander went over to the doorway, allowing him to hear the conversation better.

He could hear another man's voice from upstairs.

"Samuel Winchester you're in for it now. She's got customers!"

"Sorry Missouri if I'd known," said the first voice.

Xander nodded to Dawn, as he got out his wallet and left her to put on her jacket.

"It's OK ma'am. We'd best be going, here is some money for your time and really thanks for everything," said Xander, before he turned to face the other room, "Dawn?"

"Give me a minute," came Dawn's voice.

"I'm so sorry, please we didn't mean to interrupt," said Sam, but the man in front of him seemed determined to leave.

"No it's okay. As I said we'd best be off."

Dawn finished pulling her hair out of her collar, steeling herself to come face to face with the family that she had come looking for.

Sam looked confused as he saw the girl he'd met this morning, "You!"

"Oh it's you."

"You know each other?" asked Xander.

"I never got your name," said Sam.

Dawn turned to Xander, "Yeah, he's the reason I was wearing your soda this morning."

Sam felt a little unsure of himself, "As I said I'm really sorry about that, I'm Sam and you're … Dawn right?"

"Yes," She stood there not knowing what to do next.

"I'm Xander by the way."

Her companion stuck his hand in Sam's, while positioning himself between the men who had just arrived and the girl in a protective manner. This caused John, who had previously been standing next to the wall, to respond.

"I'm John, Sam's father and this is Dean."

Xander turned to see the third at the top of the stairs, but Dawn hadn't taken her eyes off the older man.

"Nice to meet you, but as I said we'd better be going."

"Yeah," Dawn responded, though she sounded as if she was in another planet.

"If you need anything child you just give me a call, here is my card," said Missouri to Dawn, as they headed towards the door.

After they were gone, Missouri stood for a few seconds, silently staring at the doorway at which her visitors had just left through.

"What the hell did you do to that girl Sammy?" asked Dean.

"I did nothing, I swear, and don't call me that. I bumped into her at the med centre - I spilled her drink that's all!"

"And that caused her boyfriend to go psycho?" continued his brother.

"It wasn't that," said Missouri in a distant tone.

"What then?" asked John, who at that point was becoming more aware of his leg.

Missouri continued, "Family, this is about family and they're looking for someone."

John sat down, glad to get the weight off, "Aren't they all?"

"She's scared for her sister."

"So this is nothing to do with Sam's flirting skills," Dean joked.

"She's come looking for her sister's daddy," she explained, turning to the man sitting in her hallway rubbing his aching leg.

Dean came further down the stairs to peer over the banister and as John looked up, he saw three sets of eyes on him.

"What?"

"Dad - have you got something to tell us?" asked Sam.

"Huh?"

* * *

Buffy paced round the room, "OK you met them?"

"Yes and you have two brothers - Dean and Sam." said Xander.

She stopped pacing for a second, "And?"

"Dark hair, eyes and walking with a cane - must have gotten the cast off," replied Xander, who was sitting at the end of the motel bed beside Dawn.

"Sam's tall and has similar colouring as his dad and Dean, a little lighter hair and a little shorter," added Dawn.

Xander continued, "Three of them have been in an accident and that's why they're here - or so the psychic said."

"But they are okay, right?" asked the concerned slayer, continuing to trudge around the room.

Dawn nodded, "They looked as it they were all in one piece,"

"But you didn't talk to them?" asked Buffy.

"No, not with the reader there and with the salt lines on the entry ways; thought it was best to get Dawn out of there."

"Probably right, what now?" she stopped pacing, facing them for a second, hoping to be told what to do.

Dawn looked at her sister, "Ball in your court."

"Right - I know," she said as she began to walk up and down.

* * *

Dean pulled up to the motel, he hated the old bucket but his baby at Bobby's and it would be a while before he was reunited with his car. The motel clerk was easy enough to get answers from - there were three of them two girls and one guy - gotten two rooms.

He wasn't sure how to approach this - the guy first - get through the bodyguard.

Dad had been no help, said to leave it alone. As long as he could remember, his Dad had kept quiet about that side of his social life, which had been fine when he and Sam had been kids. As he gotten older, he'd never really pressed his Dad on the subject - the guy had needs, right? Which he had just assumed. It was not a conversation he'd ever really wanted to have with him.

The girl had looked a couple of years younger than Sam, but Missouri had said sister so that was no help; but he had to know how they found them.

He knocked on the door.

"Give me a minute Buffy," came the response from inside.

"Buffy, who or what was Buffy?" thought Dean.

As the door opened, the same man he'd met this morning confronted Dean, but he was wearing an eye patch now. He looked relaxed, but still able to handle himself if necessary.

"Hey there, Xander isn't it?"

"Yeah…Dean," Xander said, as he continued to put on his jacket while closing the motel room behind him. "Anything I can do for you?"

"About earlier, Missouri was worried, about the way you left and you didn't wait for your change."

Xander nodded, "It's okay. Tell her and your family that I'm sorry. Dawn was upset and I wanted to get her out of there - away from a load of strangers."

"Fair enough dude, it's just that you spooked her and trust me that ain't easy to do. How's you friend doing?"

"She's fine. Look it's nothing personal, but I'm on my way out right now."

"Hearing you; I'll just," Dean turned to start back to the car.

The door to the next room opened and it was then he saw them. The girl from this morning and a pretty blonde.

"Xander you OK?" asked the blonde.

Xander looked at her, "Yeah this is…"

"Dean, Dean Winchester pleased to meet you," said Dean.

The shorter of the two girls walked over to him, she was older than the other one and something about her screamed attitude - could this woman be his sister?

She looked at him, "Hello Dean, you met Xander and Dawn this morning?"

"Yeah," he felt tense, as if he was being backed into a corner - he did not like it.

"I'm Buffy, Dawn's sister."

Xander looked at his friend and was surprised at what she just said. With a reader as good as the one at that house, and with what had been said - if this guy had half the brains of Buffy, he'd have put two and two together and that was why he was here.

"We are going for something to eat?" said Dawn hopefully.

"Dawn," came the curt response from her sister.

Dean took the hint, "It's okay … I gotta go now; besides they'll be sending out a search party out for me."

Dean turned to walk away but he stopped for a second and turned.

"Missouri said you're welcome at anytime, and we'll be there as well if you want to come?"

She looked at him he seemed sweet. She knew that this had to be checked out, but did she really want to pull him into her life? Dawn - sure, it was too late, but at this moment, these people weren't involved.

"Nice to know," she said.

"See you guys around?" asked Dean, as he stood in the parking lot.

"Maybe."

He nodded at her, "That would be good."

Dawn smiled at her sister, as they watched him walk back to the old station wagon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Text Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners

A/N: Have completely given up all hope of ever getting these short so if you were expecting something snappy - give up all hope.

* * *

Dean hung his jacket on the hook behind the door. He turned round to see his brother standing in front of him - causing him to jump.

"Sam!" he said, as he hit Sam in the arm, "You do that one more time and I swear that I'm gonna put a bell on you."

Sam looked at his brother, "Where were you?"

"Out." said Dean.

"You went looking for them, didn't you?"

"I went out for some air, alright?"

"You did - I don't believe you Dean!"

"Will you keep your voice down?"

"You found them, didn't you?" replied Sam, in a slightly more hushed tone.

"Yes, you happy now? Any beer?"

"Beer? You want a beer?" asked Sam, slightly shocked

"Yes, I would like a beer. Got a problem with that?" said Dean, as he looked at his brother.

"No, but anything else you want to say first?"

"Can I actually get inside the house before we do this?"

"Yeah, of course, sorry man."

"Beer Sam, please?"

Sam opened the refrigerator and pulled out a couple of bottles as his brother sat down by the kitchen counter. He handed a cold one to Dean before pulling up a stool himself.

"So?"

"Thanks for this man," Dean said, before he took a large swig from the bottle while his brother looked on.

"Well?"

"Staying at the motel. You know the guy this morning, Xander?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, eye patch."

Sam said, taken aback, "But this morning?"

"Must have been a glass one."

"Okay, anything else?" Sam asked taking a drink himself.

"Yeah," Dean took another swig.

"You saw the girl?" Sam looked at his brother, waiting for his response.

"Yep, and her sister too."

The lights went on in the kitchen as John stood there, "I told you to leave it Dean."

"Well, I couldn't, anyway they came looking for us remember - not the other way around."

"You think something is off?" asked Sam his brother.

Dean looked from Sam to his father, "We're using fake ids, credit cards and cash for the doctors and we ain't been in this town for more than five minutes in over twenty years, and they turn up now?"

"As you said this is our old home town, she could just be using it as a lead?" said Sam, hopefully.

Dean shook his head, "That girl was at the med centre this morning when you guys were there!"

"But she met Missouri and she didn't sense anything in either of them," said Sam.

"Yeah, and the holy water didn't work on Dad did it?" said Dean, before he looked over at his father, "Sorry sir."

Dean felt uncomfortable; his father seemed to be unsure how to respond.

"Dean, I understand that this needed to be checked up on but I could have or Sammy…"

"No offence," Dean interrupted, "I don't think that would have been a good idea."

"Dean?" asked Sam.

"Sam, you went weak at the knees a couple of days ago when that spirit thing hit, and as for you Dad; this girl comes looking for her old man. Even if the two things aren't connected and she ain't another Meg, I'm thinking, best keep the prime suspect out of the way till were sure of what she wants."

Dean took another drink while John looked at his son and understood what he was saying and it hurt, this was his mess, trap or not and he didn't want to put his boys in this position, Dean was not fit for trouble yet.

John pulled up another stool trying to lighten the tone as quickly as possible, "Well?"

"Anyway as I was saying - met her, blonde, short, kinda hot if she wasn't possibly family and filled with attitude!"

Sam's face brightened up, "Yeah?"

Dean grinned, "Oh, you are going to love her Sam."

Sam got up and went to get a beer for his father, "Really?"

"So, anything else?" asked John.

"Only saw her for a second, but she knows how to put you in your place. Appears to have your stubborn streak Dad."

"Great, what the world needs another pig headed Winchester!" said Sam, as he passed the beer to his father.

Dean continued, "She's older than the other one - 'bout my age if I had to guess; but not by much."

"Older?" Sam looked puzzled, and on seeing the look on his son's face John jumped in.

"Sam, I never cheated on your mother!"

"No-one's saying that Dad," Dean said, trying to keep the peace, "Sam, calm down."

John continued to justify himself, "You know what happened between me and your mother."

Dean put down his beer and looked at his father, "Dad, this is me you're talking to."

"What do you mean?" John felt his heart quicken.

"I'm the one who had to fill in the forms for stuff for school; had to get the info from the old box file."

"How long have you known?"

"Since about sixth grade, it's OK, never bothered me."

"What are you on about?" asked Sam trying to break into the conversation.

Dean shook his head at his younger brother, "You know for all your college smarts you still can't count can you?"

Sam looked from his brother to his Dad, "What?"

"Born July. They got married in February!" explained Dean.

Sam continued to look confused, "They were married a year and a half before you were born."

Dean raised an eyebrow as John avoided his youngest son's gaze, the realisation of what had been said crept across Sam's face.

"You knocked Mom up! This gets better and better."

"It wasn't like that Sam; I'd known your Mom for years. We had gone out a few times but it was nothing serious, when I got out of the service, I bumped into her again. When we found out she was pregnant, it was a few months down the line and we decided to make a go of it. Best decision I ever made. You know I never regretted one moment I spent with her," John said, and looking contrite, he added, "I just never wanted either of you to think any less of her."

"We could never do that Dad," said Dean, as Sam looked on, unsure of what to say to his father's confession. "But, look on the bright side Sam, if it wasn't for me accidentally turning up, you'd never have been."

"Yeah like that helps. So Dad, this girl could have been another one of your little accidents from back in the day?"

John head snapped up, "Samuel please?"

"Now I know where he gets it from," said Sam.

Dean looked at his brother slightly insulted, "Hey dude, I always use protection."

"You keep doing that, so when some kid comes looking for you, you can feel better." stated Sam.

"Are you three going to go bed or you planning to stay up all night gossiping like old women?"

Sam turned to see the little woman in the doorway, "Sorry we woke you."

"Who said you woke me? I was waiting for this one to get back safe and sound," she nodded in Dean's direction as she picked up one of the empty bottles, "Just like the two of you."

"You know you missed your calling!" replied the middle Winchester, as he got off his stool and picked up his bottle and took it over to the recycler.

"And do pray, what was that?" Missouri asked.

"Prison warden," he said, as he gave her one of patent pending Dean Winchester grins.

* * *

As the car pulled up to the house, Buffy looked up the steps from the passenger window.

Xander was tired and he was wearing his patch this morning, he had been on the phone most of the night to Giles getting the low-down on what he'd found out about the Winchesters.

The fact that the family were listed as missing by the Lawrence police had not helped, but Giles had confirmed that they were originally from the town and had disappeared a few months after Mary, the boys' mother, had died in a house fire, which had started in Sam's nursery. However, he had found a few disjointed reports of the family, various school records, and reports of John from different towns over the years.

The longest record he could find for any of them was for a Samuel Winchester, son of John and Mary, enrolling at Stanford - however, he had seemed to disappear after the death of his girlfriend, again by fire for which he had been present.

The only other real report he could find after that was from the St. Louis police; a Sam Winchester identified the body of his brother Dean, the suspect in a number of murders, who had been shot and killed. He had also checked that there had definitely been a funeral with a body, so he discounted that.

However, with coincidence of the family's disjointed movements and Sam's presence at both fires, tied in with his possible other abilities - he could not discount that theory that Buffy's newfound family included a possible elemental fire starter as well as a psychic.

Therefore, he had gone to the seers and he was still waiting to hear back.

"So how do you want to handle this? Softly, softly or shock and awe?" asked Dawn.

"If they've been missing for twenty years we'd better come up with a better story than, 'Hi, we were just lucky to find you'," said Xander.

"So, you think that 'our witch friend found you with a spell using my blood' story won't do?" said the slightly distracted slayer.

"They are staying with a reader, they might be OK with the truth?" said Dawn.

"True - but do you want to risk it?" asked Xander, "Buffy?"

"What if they never wanted to be found?" said Buffy to no one but herself.

"We could say that we going through the possibilities, and this guy was on the list. We found out that they were missing, so we went looking for possible relatives of his, by going to the medical centres and town hall to go through records?" said Dawn, trying to come up with a plan.

"Sounds feasible," said Xander.

"So came looking for him in small town Kansas. Didn't expect to find him," said Buffy, finally taking full part in the conversation.

"We just have to keep that up with the psychics."

"I can do that!" said Dawn, "However, is there such a thing as big town Kansas?"

"I'm not really sure," replied Xander, "Anyway Buffy, you know you'll have to rein in the mojo. Don't want to scare the locals do you?"

"What? Sweet and innocent me?" Buffy said, smiling, "Okay, I'll play nice!"

* * *

As they walked up to the door, it opened causing Buffy to come face to face with the young man whom she had met the night before.

"Hello again," Dean smiled, "You decided to come and visit."

"Yeah, told I could do with a reading," said Buffy.

"Well don't let her fool you, she's all smiles on the inside - please come in."

The three of them entered the small hallway.

"Hey Dean, did you just get the door?" Sam stopped in his tracks.

Dean had been right she was tiny, Christ she reminded him of the pictures of his mother, and if her mom had looked anything like her, well the woman would have definitely been his Dad's type.

"This is Sam, my brother," said Dean, "Sam, you remember Xander and Dawn from yesterday and this is Dawn's sister, Buffy."

Sam just stood there and smiled at the girl.

"Hi, pleased to met you," she put out her hand.

"Likewise," he said taking it.

"They've come for a reading. Is the psychic wonder out back?" asked Dean.

Sam stood silent for a second before responding to his brother's question, "Yeah, they're finishing clearing up."

"Alright. Is there anything we could get you?" Dean asked the three arrivals.

"No thanks we're fine," replied Xander, as Buffy just looked at the two men in front of her.

Sam stood there starring back at her and after a few seconds, Dean clipped his brother in the stomach, shocking Sam back to reality, "Oh, I'll just go and get her."

"That would be good dude," said Dean.

Sam turned and left to fetch the occupants of the other room.

"Can't get the staff," apologised Dean.

"Tell me about it," said Xander.

"So dude, the eye, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Work related injury," explained Xander.

Buffy felt a pang of guilt, it had been her plan that had put Xander in harm's way, her fault and just pure luck that he had not lost more than that eye.

"Really!" cringed Dean, "What are you in?"

"Construction - carpentry mostly. You?"

"This and that, but not much at the moment," replied Dean, "Wreck kind of took me out of commission for the past couple of months."

"Miss Mosley said that the three of you were recuperating," Dawn chipped in.

"Car was blindsided. We were lucky to walk away so I'm told," answered Dean.

"But you are all alright now?" asked Buffy quietly.

"Dad's just got his cast off, Sam's OK; so we're just staying here for the whole R & R thing - but to tell you the truth it's driving me up the wall."

"So you've not lived here long?" continued Buffy.

"Nah, prefer the open road," replied Dean, "Like to see what's out there."

She could picture him doing that, the way he said it sounded like he was at home living out of a bag.

The little black woman dried her hands on a towel as she walked up to Dawn and gave her a hug, before doing the same to Xander.

"You two gave me quite a fright yesterday!"

"We're sorry about that; Xander was just doing his overprotective thing. Doesn't like seeing me upset," explained Dawn.

Xander looked at Buffy. The expression on his face seemed to ask, "Why am I the bad guy in all this?" to which she simply shrugged her shoulders.

"That's alright honey," said Missouri, she turned to Buffy, "So this is the sister you were worried about," she took Buffy by the hand and tilted her head.

Xander and Dawn held their breath. The same question went through both their minds, "How good was this woman?"

But, she didn't seem to react apart from a simple nod to Dean, who seemed to relax at her sign.

"I'm sorry for your woes, you must mind that your mother never wanted to harm you."

Buffy, took her little sister's hand, "I know. We both do."

* * *

John Winchester's leg hurt like hell as he hobbled down the corridor with his cane, he'd been standing up too long and he knew it. He'd been told to take it easy, but that was something he didn't have time for, his boys were vulnerable and he would not stand for that. He had too much to make up to them.

Now this girl was another thing he didn't have time for, he did not want to be sidetracked; he did not have the time to worry about anyone else.

Sam had come bounding into the kitchen, which had been exaggerated by his lanky limbs, announcing, "They're back!"

He had gotten to the doorway in time to see the two girls take each other's hands. They had looked so small.

"But it isn't really me who you are here to see, is it?" said Missouri, before turning round to see John in the doorway and for the first time John Winchester came face to face with Buffy Summers.

At this point Xander Harris thought he was going to pass out as he watched his friend, his general react to the mortal man who was standing in front of her.

"Hello, I'm Buffy."

"My name's John and you've met my sons, Dean and Sam."

"Yes," she replied. She gave a little nod towards Dean without taking her eyes off John, "Nice little recon mission you sent him out on last night."

Dean scratched his head, "Well Missouri said you know… I thought."

Sam looked at his brother and back to the woman in front of him. The attitude was there, she could be John Winchester's child from that alone.

Missouri turned to Sam and Dean, "Well those dishes won't clean themselves."

Dean opened his mouth for a second, but took one look at the little woman and thought better of it, and announced, "I'm washing Sam," before heading out to the kitchen.

She gestured over to Xander "I think some people need to talk. Would you like some coffee?"

He looked over at the girls for a second, before turning back to the woman in front of him, "That would be nice."

Dawn watched as Xander left them and taking a deep breath turned back to face the stranger in front of her. He looked world weary but resolute all at the same time.

"She does her readings over here," he pointed to the room Dawn had been to the day before.

"Thanks," Buffy said taking the lead.

It was a small room, comfortable with lots of little knick - knacks, just as you would expect to see in the home of a favourite aunt. Buffy also noted the salt lines that Xander had seen - possible precaution, those with abilities had been known to attract spirits as well as other things.

John sat down in one of the armchairs and tried to get his leg in a comfortable position, it was still nagging at him.

The two young women sat down on the sofa in front of him. Missouri had passed them; there had been no acting up as if they were possessed; so this was real.

He was no good with words at the best of times, his boys could attest to that, so he had no idea of how to start this conversation. He took a breath before starting, "Missouri said that you were looking for me."

"Yes," said the blonde, "Not that I'm happy about Dawn going to a psychic."

That much was true; she had enough of predictions, prophecies and destinies to be fulfilled already in her life.

"We didn't expect to find you, to tell you the truth," Dawn said, "So I didn't know if going to a psychic was a good idea or not."

_"Good Dawn - stick to the prepared half truth,"_ Buffy thought.

"Yeah, well we didn't have much to go on at first - a name, discharged from the marines and going home to Kansas."

Buffy looked like a little girl lost when she said those words.

"Didn't you mother say anything else?" he asked, slightly confused.

"She passed a few years back," said Dawn.

A slight chill went down his spine; they had lost their mother, just like his sons.

"We … I found out about … I was going through some of her old things."

He realised how much it hurt the younger one to say this.

"According to some old pages we found, Mom had a fight with Dad. She was upset - she met some guy in a bar," said the older girl. She seemed surer of herself now, taking over from her distressed sister, and she sounded disapproving all the way. Boy, did it make him feel cheap.

"So you went looking for him?" asked John.

Buffy answered, "Yes, as I said we didn't have much to go on. But our friend Will, God bless, can't leave well enough alone!"

"Process of elimination, John's, ex - marines, Kansas with similar blood types." added Dawn.

"And you got me?"

Buffy nodded, "Yes, well when we found that you were technically a missing person, we thought we you may still have family round here. But we didn't have much luck at the town hall or the med centres - though Dawn bumped into your son."

"Sam," said John, "As for the police thing really should do something about that, didn't realise that we were technically missing," he said lying through his teeth, "had it been any other time we wouldn't have been here, we're just staying here till Dean's a little stronger."

"He said about the car accident," said Buffy.

"The wreck took a lot out of him," explained John, but the image of his child being held against that wall came flashing into his mind. He couldn't help picturing his son's face while that thing, no, while he, tightened his grip around Dean's heart.

He took a deep breath, and though his heart was in his throat at this point, he knew had to ask this, "May I ask how you lost your mother?"

Buffy looked at him for a second, "Brain tumour - a few years back."

He was relieved, no repeat of what had happened to Mary.

"And what about your Dad?" he asked tentatively, curious to see if the guy still in the picture or had he simply abandoned her to do this search alone.

"Dad's not really about. Think he's in Spain right now," answered Buffy.

"Europe, that's far," said John.

"Well we've been over there for the past few years ourselves, Italy & France mostly," Dawn added.

"That must have been nice."

"Yeah, well we lived in Rome while Dawn finished school then we did the whole travelling thing for a couple of years, but she's off to college soon."

Dawn smiled, sure the whole travelling thing- including the tracking down of demons, vampires and other assorted nastiness along the way.

"And what do you do?" John asked as he scratched his nose.

"Counselling work all over, troubled teens in crisis situations mostly."

John sat forward elbows on his knees, "So may I ask what you expect from me?"

Buffy looked at him, "I don't want anything - don't expect anything. I don't need a kidney or expect back allowance or anything like that… I just want to know where I came from. So I was hoping that you'd be willing to take a test just so we know."

She had matched him tone for tone.

He was impressed; but he was still in one of those spots he didn't want to be in. Like the first time Dean had demanded to know the truth about what exactly had happened to his mother. Or, the time, he'd had to field questions from a 12-year old Sammy, about what exactly the boy had caught his older brother doing with that girl in the back seat of that car.

However, he couldn't just say sorry and I don't think it's a good idea, he'd been out voted the night before three against one - and he hadn't expected the revolt to be lead by Dean.

* * *

_In the kitchen then previous night:  
_  
As Dean put the bottle in the recycler, the older woman looked at him as she picked up Sam's empty bottle.

"So you gonna fill an old woman in or let me wonder?" she asked as she walked over to the bin.

"I thought you wanted us to go bed?" asked Dean.

Missouri looked at him, "Well you're up now and everyone else was told."

"Re-cap – okay. Short, blonde, seems bossy, pretty, and oh yeah, Sammy's just learned that we're the products of a shotgun wedding." Dean smiled.

"Dean" said John.

"Well it's true isn't it?" Sam asked his father.

Dean continued on, "Told them that they were welcome anytime."

The older woman thoughtfully nodded, "Good."

John looked at his old friend, "Good, this isn't good."

Missouri turned to him, "If this isn't on the up and up and they come, I'll know and then it will be on our terms, not theirs."

"And what if it isn't a trap?" asked Sam, "What if this is just a girl come looking for her family?"

"Then we get rid of her, as quick as we can," stated his father.

"We'll do no such thing!" said the elder of his sons.

"Dean, in the long run it will be better for her," replied John, trying to explain.

Dean shook his head, "No it isn't and you know it,"

John looked Dean, "She'll be in danger if they find her."

"Yes I know, but she's come looking for us. So it is best for her and us to be sure of who she is and for her to know what's at stake."

"He's right, John," Missouri interjected.

"No - if it isn't confirmed then they won't know to go after her!"

"That's bull Dad," added Sam, "Send her away without knowing, and she'll still be a target if they go after our friends again. If we find out she isn't family, then she is safe. Demon won't have any reason to go after her."

"And if she is your sister - you want her dragged into this?" asked John looking at Sam.

"Dad, look it's as Sam said she's here, and if we do nothing, she could get caught in the crossfire. So, you take a test and she isn't family then she's out of the equation - we cut her loose. But if there is any possibility that she is my sister; then I am not having her walk around with a fucking target on her back and her not knowing why," said Dean in an agitated tone.

"What if I don't want to take the test?" asked John.

"Well then don't. She wants DNA then mine or Sam's will do. Should be able to show if we're family," answered the riled Dean.

Sam watched this clash between his brother and his father; he'd never seen Dean go up against their father like this - before the wreck, he would have been pleased to watch his brother finally do this, proud even, but right now, he wasn't so sure.

"Boys, it's late and we're all tired, we should continue this in the morning," Missouri said, "Sam, your brother's been through a lot today, maybe you should make sure that he gets to bed."

Dean stared at his father, "I can get there myself!"

She took Dean by the arm, "Dean, honey, humour me, please?"

As they walked out of the room, a solemn Sam looked over his shoulder to see her sit down by his father.

"That could have waited," she said.

John took a drink from the bottle in his hand, "Didn't expect that."

"Boy's hurting badly."

"I know. I just don't know how to fix it."

"No you don't do you?" Missouri said as she looked him in the eye, "You haven't been good at the emotional stuff for years, John."

"Haven't had the time."

"No, and they've grown up without it."

"What do you want me to say? That they deserve better?"

"You'll get no argument from me there, John Winchester."

"What do you want me to say?"

She sat there silently waiting for him to continue.

"What, that before it tried to use me to rip his heart out it screwed with his head."

"I know that, but you have got to say something to that boy. He thinks that he's failed you."

John looked at her for a second, "He knows I don't think that."

"Does he?"

"Look, you think I'm happy about the fact that the one time I told him how I felt is when I was possessed?" he said.

"What?"

"Before, when it tried to get the colt, it told him I was proud of him, proud of the way he looked out for us."

"So that's true?"

"Yeah, well that's how he knew something was wrong - 'cause I didn't chew him out for using a bullet to save his brother. He knew I was wrong 'cause I told him I was proud of him!"

Missouri shook her head, "And let me guess, you haven't said one word to him about this since."

He looked at her.

"Jesus John, you are gonna break one day - or break him."

"He needs to look out for Sam. He shouldn't be thinking about playing big brother to this girl…"

"He's doing what he's always done burying his pain in something - like his father."

"What do you mean?" he asked slightly confused.

"Just because his obsession isn't hunting down everything in is sight, don't mean he hasn't got one - it's you and Sam, his family, that is all he'll let himself have. He has to protect you whatever the cost, that's who he is, you taught him that!"

He looked at her, she was right- when he'd put little Sammy in his brother's arms all those years ago. He'd given him that job, to protect his family - and hadn't he taken to it. Hunting by John's side, backing his plays without question, Christ, he remembered catching him at 10-years-old with a needle and thread in his hands, trying to patch clothes for Sam to wear in his kindergarten's Christmas pageant. Why should this girl get any less attention than he gave the rest of his family?

"So what do I do?" he asked.

"Listen to them, both of them; and take it one step at a time and if this child does come a calling, talk to her. If her story holds true take the damn test, 'cause your boys are right, not knowing could cause us all more problems in the long run."

* * *

_The kitchen the next day:_

"So Xander how long have you known the girls?" asked Missouri, as she poured two cups of coffee while the Winchesters finished the dishes.

"Since High School. Known Buffy for …. God has it been over a decade?"

"Really?" said Sam, as he finished drying a cup.

"Fell off my skateboard first time I saw her!" Xander smiled, as he remembered how he'd ended up at the bottom of the steps of Sunnydale High that day, "And Dawn, well she was part of the package, especially since Joyce died."

Missouri felt the pain in the young man's heart as he mentioned the woman, "I'm sorry."

"Well me and Will, another friend, we practically lived at Buffy's when we weren't at school. Saw more of Joyce than my own mom."

Sam sighed and felt a little pang of jealousy and he knew Dean would be probably feeling the same thing. He wondered if their Mom would have adopted their friends in the same way, if she'd only been given the chance.

Dean pulled the plug and dried his hands as the water drained.

"So, you and Buffy? Or you and Dawn?"

"No, it's not like that," Xander said, shaking his head, "I'm just here as the moral support."

"Okay," Dean said as he shrugged, "Anyway what type of a name is Buffy?"

"No idea man, it's a secret that Joyce took to her grave. I'm completely stumped."

"You been a reader long?" Xander said to Missouri, hoping to change the subject.

"All my days," answered the little woman.

"Interesting work?"

Missouri replied, "Yes it is."

"She gets to meet a lot of people and meddle!" added Dean, as he poured himself and Sam coffee while Missouri glowered at him.

"What the boy means is that I enjoy helping people."

She turned back to Xander, "Like you, you've lost people close to you - lots of them?"

Xander shifted in his chair as he stared at the bottom of his coffee cup.

Sam saw the other man's discomfort, "Missouri I don't think that this is a good subject."

"It's alright," (_hold in your thoughts Harris_), "We're originally from Sunnydale, California."

He said it in a way that seemed to suggest that it would answer all of their questions.

Dean pulled up a chair, "Yeah?" He'd heard that name before.

"Earthquake caused the town to fall into a sinkhole a few years back, most people got out, but some didn't. Since then the girls have been doing the whole Europe thing."

"And you?" asked Sam.

He took a second, and knowing what the reaction was probably going to be, he told them the truth.

"Cleveland."

Sam spat out his coffee, "Sorry"

Xander did not even bat an eye at Sam's response, "Yeah I know it isn't as glamorous as Europe, but my job's there."

"As for the Europe thing?" said Dean, as he looked at his brother with disgust.

"They did Rome for a couple of years, then France, Germany, Switzerland, but Dawn's finally off to school in the fall so I'm not sure where Buffy's going to end up."

"Which school?" Sam asked, with great interest.

"Oxford."

"Really?" said Sam.

Dean saw Sam's face light up; this girl had not only gotten her baby sister through her mother's death, gotten her into one of the world's top schools, but also taken her to see the world - if only he could have done that for Sam.

"So all of this all came as a bit of a shock then?" said Missouri

"Dawn was finishing up a painting she was doing for a friend's wedding present, when she found some of Joyce's old diary entries."

"Christ, that is a real bad way to find out," responded Dean.

"Yeah a real shitter," said Xander, wondering how they were getting on in the next room.

* * *

"Look I can really see where you are coming from, but I'm not sure?" John said, shifting uncomfortably, maybe he could get them to leave of their own accord, and then he wouldn't have to deal with the fallout.

"As I said, I don't expect anything, except maybe get to know you a bit. I'm not looking for a father figure, kind of got one. I'm just trying to get a handle on all of this. But if you aren't comfortable with this as I said, I can go."

This was not someone asking, she was telling him she wasn't going to go, unless he kicked her out. She was as pig headed as his boys.

"We're not exactly the Brady bunch as my son Sam would say."

"Who is?" asked the younger girl.

"Look, I don't know and I'm not sure what's involved."

"Oh it's quite easy all you need is a mouth swab and they take DNA from that. Most doctors' offices can do it."

Both Buffy and John looked at Dawn.

"What?" said Dawn, "I looked it up."

* * *

To all those from Kansas I'm sure it is a lovely place, I am really sorry if I have insulted anyone. I am no good at geography I'm sure there is a lot of big towns there it is just I've never been, so I really don't have any idea.

The same sentiment goes to the people of Cleveland.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Text Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners.

A/N – OK clarification on something, in this Buffy and Dean are born in the same year (1979) with Buffy being born seven months before Dean, this means that all the Scoobies including Dawn are a couple of years older.

* * *

Dawn admitted that she knew a little more than the particulars of what was involved. Thanks to the little visit to the medical centre the other day, and a little time on the net, Dawn was now aware of which facilities within the Lawrence city limits performed paternity testing. This had lead to a few choice words from her sister along the lines of Dawn should stop getting ahead of herself and the possible removal of phone and computer privileges, to which Dawn had pointed out she almost twenty-one years old and not four, so grounding was no longer an option.

John couldn't help but smile inwardly at this; it was like watching Dean and Sam when they were younger.

It turned out that one of the places Dawn had contacted was the same medical centre that Dean had his doctor. This lead to Dawn enthusiastically going on about, "killing two birds with one stone."

* * *

As Xander and the Summers left the house, John wasn't sure if he was impressed or just plain dumbfounded.

"They seemed nice," said Sam.

"They're something alright," said John, as he walked away from they front door.

"This test, how long do you think before the results come back? You know, once it gets done?" asked Dean.

"Couple of days, I should think," answered Sam.

"She said it should take a couple of days," confirmed John.

Sam broke out into a little smile, "You know what? I've just thought, her birthday's January right?"

"That's what she said," replied John, "She's got her timing about right, though I'm not saying that means anything."

"Well that would make you her little brother!" said the amused Sam.

Dean drew his eyebrows together, "So?"

"It'll just be nice not having to put up with your 'I 'm right 'cause I'm the oldest' crap anymore," said Sam.

"Excuse me?" asked Dean.

"Oh, cheer up bro, if she is our big sis you won't be the shortest anymore,"

Dean punched his brother in the arm in response.

Missouri just stood there watching the front door slightly distracted, as the two brothers joked about their visitors.

"What's up?" John asked, "Did you feel anything 'bout them?"

"You said they were okay," said Dean, "You picking up vibes now?"

"I'm not sure. They covered it well, but there was something."

Sam didn't like the sound of where this was going, "Like what?"

"It is like they have stood in front of the dark and returned to the light, and that girl. When she first saw you John, I felt, well I'm not sure," she fell silent for a second.

"What?" John asked.

Both boys looked at their father, whose heart was creeping into his throat. The last thing he wanted was the Demon singling out another person like his Sam, especially if she was a Winchester.

"No John, but there was something. Power, raw power."

* * *

"So I think congratulations are in order," said Dawn.

"Shut up Dawn."

Xander smiled, "She's right, I think it could be said that you conducted yourself with something Giles would say was ladylike decorum. So what do you think?"

"Seems okay. You can't really say much on a five minute meeting," said Buffy, "What do you guys think?"

"He seems tired, but considering what he and his sons have been through lately you can't be surprised," answered Dawn.

"From what Missouri said, and good God can that woman talk by the way, Sam was the luckiest, a couple of broken ribs. The Dad had a broken leg, but Dean was on a ventilator for a few days, only got out of hospital last week." said Xander.

"No wonder he couldn't hold Sam when Will passed through him."

"He shouldn't have been running around last night."

Dawn nodded in agreement with her sister.

"No he shouldn't, both his brother and Miss Mosley had some words to say about his little disappearing act."

"Got the same respect for authority that you do Dawnie," said Buffy, smiling at her sister.

"Please, I respect authority!" Dawn protested

Buffy just looked at her littler sister, which caused Dawn to respond, "What, that policeman in Paris deserved that!"

"It's just, I'm suppose to be the delinquent in this family."

"Well Buffy, looks like you and Dawn could have some competition."

"Great do I have to bail another one out of trouble on a regular basis?" Buffy asked.

Dawn huffed, "Knock it off will you."

Buffy looked at her sister, "Sorry Dawnie."

"So what day in my week do you think I'll have to clear?" Xander said smiling as he posed the question to Buffy.

"You find out where they've been for the past twenty years?" Dawn said trying to change the subject.

Xander shook his head, "From what I could pick up they've been on the road since their Mom died, not sure what doing. But they didn't seem to stay in the same place to long."

"We'll just have to see what Giles comes up with then." Dawn said as they drove off.

* * *

Sam walked into the bedroom he and his brother were sharing with a couple of cups of coffee.

"Here you go."

He handed the cup of hot liquid to his brother, who had barely looked up from the laptop.

"Thanks. What are the olds up to?"

"Missouri's out, Dad's downstairs. What you doing?"

"Looking stuff up."

"Right okay, I'll leave you alone to your downloading." Sam said, as he quickly turned to face the door, "You have been out of commission for a while; probably best you take things slow, ease back into things."

Dean looked up at his little brother, "Very funny."

"Well you're in no shape to go hunting, and since I'm the only one who can stand for more than twenty minutes without assistance, I'm saying no to anything that means me bailing your ass out of trouble!"

"Heart wrenching speech Sam. No, I'm sure I've heard of that town before."

"Sunnydale. Sounds perky."

"Large earthquake caused it to collapse into a sinkhole. Most of the town had been evacuated previously, though a lot of people didn't get out."

"Just like Xander said."

Dean looked back at the screen, "Well a few years before the plunge, High School was ranked as one of the highest mortality rates for students in Southern California."

"Really?"

"Put down to drugs, PCP mostly. Kids getting high and then bleeding themselves to death playing vampire. Victims found with bit marks in the neck, bled quick, not like the ones we took out. "

"Sick, but plausible. With bored suburban teens, who knows what, goes through their minds, so what happened to change that, or are we paying a visit to a crater in the near future?"

"Someone blew up the school."

"Wow!" said Sam, as he sat down on the bed.

"Well, officially it was a gas leak, but stories in the papers don't gel right."

"Anything else?

"A couple of years before the school blew, principle was eaten," said Dean, as he continued to flicked between websites.

"What do you meant eaten?"

"Yeah, torn clothes, blood found, no body. Well not a whole one anyway. Looks like a pack of stray dogs got the school mascot, came back for more, got the principle"

"You sure?"

Dean nodded, "Well they destroyed a load of strays afterwards and there was no similar reports after that, so looks like guy was just unlucky."

"What else?"

"Mass hysteria, adults acting as children due to a weird food additive reaction, frat boys scaring the crap out Halloween party goers by spiking the punch, then there was a town wide epidemic of viral laryngitis. Outbreak of madness, but that was put down to a toxic waste leak, though there were reports of people seeing something falling from the sky towards the end of that one, but no reports of ET showing up. Everything seems to have an official explanation or just stops," said Dean sounded slightly frustrated, "They even had a few cases of people going up in smoke."

"Spontaneous combustion?"

"Reports saying people were happy, even accounts of victims singing and next minute poof - fire ball. But, as I said then it stops. It's definitely weird, things start but before there is a real pattern gets going, it ends. It's like before anything got too serious it got shut down."

Sam thought for a second, before asking, "Do you think someone was there to stop things getting too out of hand?"

"Possible, I suppose," replied Dean.

"So it was a freaky town. Anything about the Summers?"

"Joyce and her daughters moved there from L.A. in the late nineties. She worked in an art gallery and died of aneurysm after the removal of a brain tumour. Looks like Buffy dropped out of school when her Mom got sick. Hank Summers stayed in L.A. before moving to Spain. With his secretary by the looks of it."

"Isn't that a little cliché?" asked Sam.

"Yup, screams mid-life crisis, probably got the shiny sports car first," Dean took a drink from the cup.

"That's tough though, loosing their Mom like that. I don't know what's worse loosing her quick or knowing it's going to happen."

"Sam, I am too tired to go there."

"So you think that this could be a good thing, in spite of what Dad said?"

"Sam, please," Dean pleaded with his brother not to go down that road.

"Look I'm just thinking if she's family that her and Dawn…."

"Let's hope for their sakes that she's not alright?."

* * *

As Dean waited for the nurse to call him, he patiently flicked through old magazines.

From what he and Sam had pieced together the night before, this possible new addition to the Winchester family was not the typical valley girl that they'd expected; even with the freaky town. She had been mentioned in a couple of police reports and had disappeared for a few months at seventeen.

Turned out she had been wanted for questioning in connection with the death of a fellow teen. However, later reports, as well as statements from her mother and a number of friends, including Xander and her school's librarian, had mentioned a psycho stalker ex who had been terrorising her for months as being the probable culprit.

This may account for Missouri's dark to light thing, but how would she cope with a psycho demon, and the possibility of being collateral damage if it came after family and friends again.

But, right now, Sam paced the floor while grating on his father's nerves.

"Sam will you please stand still or sit down," said John.

Dean peered over the article he'd been half reading; he could see it starting. The two of them had been cooped up together too long, their truce was ending.

A bit of him thought if he let his Dad and Sam go for it, she'd see how bad it could be and she'd leave voluntarily, but right now, there was a large part of him that didn't. He wanted a real connection to the normal world, one without rock salt shells and silver bullets; the world that Sam always talked of.

"Sorry, I just want this to be over with," said Sam.

Dean put down his magazine, "Dude it's my appointment, so stop getting your panties in a bunch."

"I just want to know you're okay," said Sam.

"So do I! But driving Dad up the wall won't make the Doc see me any sooner."

John turned to the elder of his boys, "Dean your brother is not driving me up the wall, it's just we are all a little on edge."

Dean was about to reply when the nurse came over to call him in. He stood up to go and mouthed to Sam "Play nice."

Buffy stood at the main entrance of centre.

"Last chance, we can runaway and no one will think any less of you," said Xander.

"Thanks, but this needs to be done," replied Buffy, "Right?"

Dawn nodded as her sister looked at her.

"And this won't involve anything more than a cue-tip?" Buffy asked.

"That's what the leaflet said," Dawn replied.

"Then put in some solvent stuff, spin it down, put it on that gel thing and hey presto you get the read out with the bars on it." Xander said.

Both girls looked at him, "Xander you been watching Discovery channel again?"

"Well Will ain't here, someone has to do the science bit."

Dawn smiled, "Only if I get to do the Snoopy dance at Christmas this year."

"Hey get your own party piece!"

As they walked down the hall, they saw Sam standing there with his hands in the pockets and John sitting in the chairs.

* * *

After waiting for a while Dawn went over to the vending machine to grab something for everyone to drink, Sam followed her, seemly volunteering himself to help.

"Dean okay?" asked Dawn, as she punched in her selection.

"In with the Doctor now, he'll be out soon"

"Good," she picked up the cup and handed it to him.

"This is kinda awkward," said Sam.

"Yeah, it is really," she gave him a little smile, as she punched in more numbers, "Though she's calmed down a bit. You should have seen her last night."

"Nervous then?"

"Mr Gordo put in an appearance."

Sam looked confused, "Mr Gordo?"

"Stuffed pig, she's had it forever."

Dawn passed him another drink, "Well I say pig, he's lost an ear and eye and he's a little squashed but he's just well loved. Generally makes an appearance when she has man trouble, and during end of the world scenarios."

Sam smiled, "Dean used to have this little green gorilla thing when we were growing up."

"Really?"

"Yeah, hid it from everyone … think he called it Tharl."

"That's sweet," said Dawn.

"Don't know what happened to it"

"Could still have it?"

Sam thought for a second, it could be buried in the back of the car somewhere, "Maybe, but I'm not asking. He'd kick my ass from here to next week."

Dawn giggled, "Maybe now is the right time to ask, while he's incapacitated. He could use it as a therapeutic aid."

"Yeah, I can see that happening… But, maybe we can use it to wean him off of that mullet rock collection of his."

"Mullet rock?" asked Dawn.

"Metallica, Black Sabbath."

"Oh, if it is any consolation she's gone through some weird musical tastes."

"Yeah?"

"You heard Euro pop?" asked Dawn, causing Sam to grin.

"What is taking you two so long?" asked Xander, who was getting impatient.

"Nothing much," Sam replied.

"Just talking about European cultural differences," said Dawn.

"Euro pop?" asked Xander.

Dawn shrugged her shoulders.

"Can't understand it," stated Xander shaking his head.

* * *

As the three of them returned to the waiting area, they saw both Buffy and John go to a small side room close by.

The nurse inside picked up the swab kit and turned to Buffy.

"Don't worry it won't hurt a bit and we should have the results in a couple of days."

"Great," said the young woman sitting in the chair before the swab was stuck in her mouth.

* * *

Dawn continued to watch the door of the examine room where her sister was, as Dean came back from his appointment.

"So what have I missed?" asked Dean.

"Not much, we came, Sam and Dawnie got coffee and now they've gone into a room," answered Xander.

"So no film at eleven," said Dean.

"Not yet. What did the Doc say?" asked Sam.

"Lung capacity back to normal, heart OK, don't overdo thing, yada, yada, yada. You and Dad?"

"Dean."

"Just asking dude."

"We're doing okay," said Sam.

The door opened and Buffy walked out as John limped behind.

"You guys good?" asked Xander.

Buffy nodded in reply, "So what now?"

"You know she'll skin us alive if they don't come back for lunch," said Sam.

"Bet she has the implements," said Dean.

* * *

The next few days passed as they waited for the results. John had to admit that he liked having the girls around; they lightened the mood and made it easier to try with the boys. Though Missouri still couldn't put her finger on what she felt when Buffy was around.

He watched the kids, as Missouri called them. The youngest two seemed to bounce off each other and Dean had begun to fuss round both Buffy and Dawn, as he did Sam. Though, it was funny to see Buffy shoot him down without denting his ego too much. Even their friend seemed to fit in.

Dean and Xander seemed to be taking the brunt of Missouri's motherly instincts in all of this. Sam had said it was because Dean couldn't run away and she could creep up on Xander's blind side. However, the two of them had seemed to develop a tag team version of dealing with her.

He knew the boy was just a friend, but he could not help but ask him questions about Buffy, though he could not fathom why. Dean had said it was just paternal side of him coming out, but Sam had overheard a comment between Xander and Dawn, "If he's asking me these questions what is going to make of blondie?"

It was nice normality of it, as it should have been like for his sons, instead if the transient lifestyle he'd given them.

As for Buffy, she was full of life and seemed to be bright and resourceful, someone who could make you proud. He had always wondered if Mary had lived would they have had a girl of their own?

She seemed to make him want to act softer, a side of him that he hadn't really allowed to see the light of day since he'd packed up, strapped baby Sammy into his car seat, and watched little Dean proudly put on his own seatbelt. The three of them drove out of Lawrence in the Impala with barely a backwards glance.

Buffy also had to admit, it was nice to get to know people in a non-life and death situation, even if she had to watch herself round Missouri.

John was a nice guy, even if he was more than a little rough around the edges. It was obvious that he wasn't use to dealing with anything like this, but he was trying hard. Dawn had bonded with the guys and Missouri. Christ, Dean and Xander were fast becoming a comedy act, with Sam as the straight man. As for Sam, it was sweet to watch Dean be overprotective and Sam's blatant disregard of it; it was like watching Dawn in one of her stubborn moods. Dean even had tried to do the same thing to her but she had set him straight. It was nice that he was trying to do the brotherly thing, but she kinda had Xander for that; also, there was the fact that she could probably break him in two.

Giles had been in touch, he asked how things were going but he didn't have anything new to tell them as the seers had been more concerned about the rise of an Aztec jaguar god, which he'd contacted Faith about. Though he had confirmed that Sam wasn't a fire starter, which was something.

Willow and Kennedy were still on their honeymoon but they had still emailed to ask for the gossip. Kennedy had informed Dawn that Willow still wanted to get on a plane and if that happened, she had half the mind to stick Buffy with the bill and the Russian detail if they had to take a make up break.

It was a good few days if a little mind rattling doing the waiting thing for all of them. Nevertheless, Buffy was still unsure of how they would react to finding out about whom she was and what she really did.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Text Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners.

* * *

"Big day today then," said Xander, as he shut the door of the motel room behind him.

"Yep," answered Dawn.

"You know even though we know what it's going to say I'm still nervous," said Buffy, as they walked over to the car.

"Well Willow could be wrong," replied Xander.

"Unlikely," came Buffy's reply, "It just makes it all feel more real."

"Any idea when what time it's being delivered?" asked Dawn.

"Missouri said she usually gets the mail around ten," said Buffy.

"Well one way to look at it is there are no real surprises on either side," said Xander.

"What?" asked Buffy.

"Well it's not like John's expecting another boy," answered Xander.

"No, but if he is my father it'll be it's a girl Mr Winchester, and she's destined to be a warrior charged with fighting all that goes 'Grrr' in the night!" said Buffy.

"Don't forget the former inter dimensional key, now little sister, on the side," added Dawn "and the secret international organisation that is interested in his son's possible talents, and the fact you've been dead twice; and don't forget the strange taste you have in men!"

Buffy shook her head as she stood in the car lot, "If he doesn't have a drinking problem now, he will soon."

"You know, I love being the most non-screwed up one in our little whacked out family," said Xander as he put his arms around both Buffy and Dawn.

* * *

As Dean wandered down the stairs after taking his meds, he found that the rest of the house was buzzing. The others were already sitting round the breakfast table.

"Did I miss something?" questioned the late arrival as he ran his hand through his messed up hair.

"Just breakfast, bro."

"Isn't it a bit early?" asked Dean.

"It's after nine son, we thought it best to let you sleep."

"Why?"

"Well you weren't getting up, and I got fed up shaking you, so you must have needed it," said Sam.

"And with everything that has been happening over the past few days we thought it was for the best to let you rest," said Missouri.

"Will you all stop with the fussing, if I'm gonna drop dead I'll let you know."

"Don't joke about that Dean," said John.

"Look guys I'm fine."

"Dean it's as Missouri said with everything that's been going on and with today," said Sam

Dean replied, "The last thing that we all need is me keeling over?"

"Yes, to put it bluntly," said Missouri.

"When are they due?" asked Dean as he sat down, "Can you pass me that toast, Sam?"

"Mail's due around ten, so anytime soon," said Sam as he passed the plate to his brother.

"So you have any thoughts about how you are going to explain things to her?" Missouri asked.

Dean stopped chewing, Sam swallowed his mouthful of coffee and John put down his cup. All three of them looked at the little woman who sitting at the end of the table waiting for a response with a smile on her face.

"I thought we'd get the results first before we broached the subject," said John.

"You haven't got any idea, have you?" responded Missouri.

"Not really, I…"

"Still hoping that this will all go away?" she continued.

"Well I suppose that hit me as a possibility," answered John.

Both boys watched this exchange silently.

"Really and you think the mail is gonna come, results be negative and they just go away and then you little vacation will be over?" replied Missouri.

Both Sam and Dean turned to their father who had begun to look slightly irritated.

"If that happens it happens, if not then they'll be told and then it is up to them," said John as he picked up his coffee cup.

Dean and Sam looked over at Missouri awaiting her response.

"So that is your plan?"

"This is family, not battle, who said there had to be a plan?" replied John.

Missouri looked at him, "Really?"

Both Sam and Dean turned to the opposite end of the table to observe the other player in this conversation.

"Taking it one step at a time," answered John.

Both boys quickly faced Missouri.

"So you're playing this by ear then?" she asked.

"Yes, they ask questions, I'll answer and if they want to talk I'll listen," he answered.

She did not say a word she as she looked at her old friend. Sam thought his head would explode if someone didn't say something. Fortunately, Dean decided that this was the best time to announce that he was going for a shower, which left him the honour of answering the phone that had begun to ring.

* * *

Dawn was the first to the door as Xander locked the door the rental SUV.

"You know you'd think you were little kid instead of almost twenty one," said her sister who had been following behind the energetic Dawn.

"Technically as you are so fond of reminding me I am, or I'm thousands of years old if you talk to Willow."

"She only says that when you take her side in an argument."

"Ladies please, today is not the day to get into the whole 'you're older than you look' debate," said Xander as he joined them on the front step.

Buffy smiled at her sister, "He is totally doing the mother hen thing isn't he."

"Totally! Next thing he'll be doing the nesting thing and that ain't good," said Dawn.

"Nope he's already passed that stage. He was worrying about the state of the house will be in when he gets back."

"Doesn't trust Clem or the girls with a dust pan and brush?"

Xander huffed, "Alright knock it off, or I will march both of you back to the motel and you'll sit and have a time out; and Miss Buffy Ann Summers when was the last time you used a dust pan and brush?"

Buffy raised her finger to speak.

Xander butted in first, "And decapitation of a homicidal wraith does not count as the proper instruction manual usage of a dust pan."

"It was all I had at hand!" said Buffy.

"It may get you slayage points, but not anything else."

Buffy peered at her friend, "You are taking the watcher gig way too seriously."

Xander decided he wasn't going to rise to the bait, as he continued his train of thought, "Anyway you know what a soft touch Andrew can be and as for Clem. I just do not want to get home and deal with, _Sorry we blew up the back of the house_ or _we have no idea how the high school football team got locked in there,_ or _Poker school? What is poker?_ And never forget the ever popular_, But the sale was only on for one day._"

"You should view it as practice for when you have kids," said Dawn.

He looked at her, "Just push the bell."

"Hey guys," said Sam, as he opened the door with a coffee cup still in his hand.

"Morning. Coffee still on the go?" said Dawn as she bounced into the house.

"Dawn," said Buffy in a disapproving tone.

"Oh Buff chill, it's a little late to worry about a cup of coffee stunting my growth."

"Still having breakfast then," asked Buffy.

"No, just killing time really, it's been getting a little tense round here."

Buffy stopped for a second before entering the house, "I can't do this. I want to go home!"

Xander caught her as she turned to go to the car, he twisted her round and started to walk her inside and towards the kitchen," No you don't young lady. You've come this far, so there will be no doing the impression of a certain type of poultry now, you hear me."

"No but," she started.

"No buts, alsos, wherefores or howevers; there will be no I have to go for some air, or I'll be back in a minute. You will march in there, sit down and wait. You understand?" continued Xander.

"Yes." She replied quietly.

"And if you're really good we can go to the mall after," said Xander smiling.

Buffy relaxed slightly, "Shoppage would be good."

"Could do with a few items myself," said Xander who seemed to relax himself.

"The earth is definitely doomed," added Dawn in a quiet tone, causing Xander and Buffy to burst into giggles.

Sam just looked on confused at this exchange.

"I'll sit, but I'm saying no to the caffeine," said Buffy, "Got anything else to drink Sam?"

As the four of them entered the kitchen, Sam saw the mood between his Dad and Missouri had lightened. She was just trying to help, but Dad was actually trying to loosen up and letting things actually happen, rather than control everything in sight.

"Hello people," Dawn said, as she plonked herself down in a chair. Both Missouri and John looked at the girl, "Everyone bright and cheerful this morning?"

"We apologise for her. Too much sugar," said Xander.

"So where's Dean?" asked Buffy as she took a glass of OJ from Sam.

"He's not long up honey, but he should be down soon," answered Missouri.

Buffy nodded, "So everyone wound up as tight as me then?"

John looked at her

"I think that's a unanimous on the ayes there," said Xander.

"Chill, breathe, relax - repeat sis," said Dawn.

"Will you quit with the cheerful optimism please, it's not helping." said Buffy.

"Who was on the phone?" asked John hoping that he could change the subject before the sisters started a full on bickering match.

"That was Bobby," said Sam.

John looked intently at his son, "And?"

"Everything is going OK," Sam said, in a reassuring tone, "He says that the car can be saved."

John nodded, "You're brother will be happy to hear that."

Dawn looked up at Sam, who responded, "Dean's baby."

"Oh," said Dawn, "But you said you were driving?"

"He was. But it wasn't his fault, and you're brother knows that," said John, looking at Sam

"I know but there's gonna be a little bit of him that will never forgive me for almost killing that car," said Sam.

John understood what Sam meant, the Impala was part of the family, he remembered teaching the boys to drive in it, he remembered Mary's face when she first turned up at his garage driving it, even though then it was more of a shell on wheels that she thought he could rescue from the scrap yard. That car had saved his life more times than he could count, and if he was honest, it was the closest thing to a stable home his boys had. In that car they knew they were safe, and he hated for Dean to have to loose it.

* * *

Missouri and Dawn hovered around the front window peering ever few minutes.

"Where is he?" asked Dawn.

"She," corrected Missouri.

Dawn looked at her, "She?"

"I have a mail carrier not a mail man."

"Oh, well where is she?"

"She'll be here; you are not a patient one are you?"

"No, not really," said Dawn as she continued to look out the window.

"You're sister doing okay?"

"I think so; Xander's doing his whole goofball chill thing"

"He's good at it," said Missouri

"He's put the hours in"

"Even working on John."

Dawn turned to look at Missouri, "What Mr Stonewall in there is nervous?"

"Still waters, they say,"

"Had a friend like that, but… Well kind of got another one like that but he's a lot more vocal and less on the broody, though I'm never 100 sure what's going on in his head," said Dawn as she turned to continue her vigil.

"Maybe you could introduce them?"

Dawn shot her a look; she could just imagine that meeting.

"_Hello Mr Winchester, nice to meet you. Yes, I am a formally homicidal vampire, but I 'm better now. No not the vampire, just the homicidal part, though I am still known to have my moments. Oh yes I have slept with your daughter, but that was way after the whole trying to kill her thing._"

Dawn took a second, "Yeah maybe."

Missouri looked at the girl and the image of a man in a leather coat came to mind, dangerous and yet for Dawn safe all at the same time.

"Is that her now?" asked Missouri, thinking better not to question the girl further about it.

"Mail call," yelled Dawn as Missouri went outside to the box.

"Does that girl ever calm down?" asked John.

"Most time she's Miss Sensible," said Buffy trying not to laugh, "She's just… well"

"I'd best get Dean, he should be here," said Sam, getting up from his seat.

"Sammy we don't know if it's here," said John hoping to stall.

"I'll just be a minute," replied Sam.

"Dean you ever coming out of there?" said Sam, as he banged on the bathroom door.

"What?" came the reply from the other side.

"Dean, mails here!"

"What you say?" Dean stuck his head round the door.

"Mails here, everyone's waiting."

"OK, I'll be right down," said Dean as he started to put on a robe, while closing the door.

That was when it hit, and Sam crumpled to the floor.

"Sammy, you OK?"

Sam blinked and grabbed onto his brother's arm.

"Dean?"

"Slow tiger, stay with me here okay."

"What happened?" asked the muddled figure.

"You tell me dude, you're the one on the floor."

Sam collected himself, "I saw something."

"Yeah, big one huh."

"Think so."

"Jesus Sam, these things are really starting to worry me."

"Worry you? It's my brain that is melting here."

"True but let me show a little concern."

"Give me a second, I'm alright. Will you stop with the mother hen act."

"Fine, but tell me what you saw."

Sam looked at his brother; he was worried.

"Dawn I saw Dawn and something; demon, had its hands round her throat."

"What, you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure!"


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer - I don't own Buffy or her friends, or the Winchesters and their respective world. - They belong to their respective owners.

* * *

Sam stood at his brother's side at the bottom of the stairs as Dean put on his normal brash and confident façade. They had discussed it, and decided to wait until this was over before explaining Sam's vision to their Dad and Missouri.

They both knew their father too well; if they told him now he would lock the house up tight, the girls would freak and run and then they would not get the chance to stop what Sam had seen.

"So you two gonna open that or what?" asked Dean.

"Tension, killing us here," added Dawn.

John, held the small envelope in his hands, "Right, you sure you want to do this?" he asked Buffy.

"Look I know we don't have to, but I need to. But, if you guys don't want this opened then we won't. Alright?" replied Buffy, looking at all the three Winchester men.

John glanced over at his sons standing on the stairs. They looked on as he turned over the envelope in his hand and unsealed the gummed edge. Time seemed to slow down for everyone, as he pulled out the paper from its casing. It seemed silly but this little bit of paper would change the lives of everyone in that room.

He turned it over and looked at it for what seemed like an eternity before handing it to the little blonde woman standing in front of him as he took a step back. She in turn looked at it in silence.

She let out a deep breath.

"Well?" asked Missouri, "You two still with us?"

"Huh?" asked Buffy

"Suspense, much!"

"Dawn, time to process," said Xander

"Dad?" said Sam, "We can give you a minute?"

"No Sammy, it's okay."

"So?" asked Dean.

"It's positive," said Buffy in a neutral tone.

"Yeah," said John.

"And that means?" asked Dean

"It's official, bro," answered Sam, though Dean's expression continued to remain blank.

"You're related," said Xander.

"Oh," The realisation of this slowly spread across Dean's face, "Do you two want some time?"

His father looked up at him. He looked as if he was just hit by a train.

Dean nodded, "We'll be outside."

* * *

As John watched Buffy's reaction, random thoughts flooded into his mind. The past few days had been good, though it had been as Missouri said, he'd been kind of treating this as a kind of vacation. She was also right about the girl walking out of there without knowing the truth.

But, the girl was innocent of it all; she was a little bit of him that wasn't frightened to go to sleep at night, or scared to wake up in the morning. She didn't know what was out there; did he really want to be the one to spoil all that?

She was pacing the floor as Sam did when things were getting to him, and he'd seen bits of Dean in her; the way she took care of her sister and could always be relied upon for a smart remark. He had noted them before but he hadn't really connected things, he hadn't wanted to see it. But, they were there, and now he had the bit of paper saying she was his.

"So you doing okay over there?" he asked.

She continued on her march, "Copage going on here. You?"

"Can I get back to you on that?"

"Both on same page. I can deal. Boy, big changes afloat; life, death, weirdage alert!"

"Think I'm getting you."

"Calls to make, people to be informed, and incorporation to be thought of here."

"Sorry?"

"Us into your lives, you guys into ours; if you're alright with that? It is alright if you're not though. But, if you are, that would probably mean a lot of blood, guts and gore being involved. And at some point someone is going to demand a psychiatric evaluation, which trust me, will not be good."

"Right," he said, trying to keep up.

"Words flowing out here; but not getting put in the correct order."

"Really?" he said, with a slight smile on his face.

"Gives a bad impression - should engage brain first then talk."

"No. Well you should think before you speak, but it's okay about the impression thing right now."

"Oh good 'cause you know impressions can be deceptive. We've been on our best behaviour here, but when you meet the real Buffy I wouldn't blame you if you ran for the hills."

"Trust me it will be you that will be doing the running."

She stopped to face him, "You say that now, but the world of Scoobiage is not one to be entered lightly."

"Pardon?" John said, completely stumped about the seemingly profound but nonsensical statement she had just made.

"Sorry, I sound like Andrew, no Xander - Andrew is more melodramatic. I think it's the whole geek thing really. Not that I'm against geeky nerd thing per se, but it gets to a point where enough is enough. You cannot compare the whole world to Star Trek or Lord of the Rings, and when he get started on Star Wars you just want to…, he's a grown man, well he's older than Dawn anyway. The man thing is debatable, though he has given up the squealing like a little girl recently."

He stared blankly at her unsure what to do or say to the girl in front of him, should he try to interrupt her strange tangent or just let her continue?

"Do you want me to get your sister?"

"Dawn, what about Dawn? ...We really have to talk about Dawn, but not before…" she suddenly stopped speaking and covered her face with her hands in shock, before continuing.

"Oh God, she's right even if you can handle the rest, when you find out about what happen with… Oh, you will think I am the world's biggest freak! Can I just say that people change you know, even after they … and they did, even though they were… and with Angel, I was young and in love. A bit of me will always be, first love, true love really even if it's doomed, but he was right and so was my Mom, can't build a life on that even if you dream about the what mights at times, you can't dwell, especially seeing as he's now gone. Then when it all happened with, well Spike just seemed to follow me round like a confused, though deranged and very irritating, lost puppy. And Riley was so, and then… It was not planned; no way on earth was it planned! He was in a bad place, then I was in a bad place and he was the only one who understood. Then we were all in a bad place, mentally and geographically speaking, and now well it's hard to put a finger on what is going on, but he's still there for me and I'm rambling aren't I? I ramble on occasion, but you might have guessed that. Usually I'm all with the witty and being composed but today is not an everyday occurrence for me, getting it confirmed that you have a new father and whole new family, so I ramble. I think I am allowed a little bit of a meltdown, not a biggie just a little one, five minutes and then normal business will resume. Do you understand? "

She looked at him waiting for him to reply.

"Sure. Xander? I can go get Xander?" He said turned to go to the kitchen, to get at least one person who might have a clue what she was going on about.

* * *

As he limped through the back door, five expectant faces met him.

"Everything going alright in there?" asked Dean.

"I'm not sure, I got lost halfway," replied John, still dazed from the conversation he just had.

"Verbal confusion sounds about right," said Dawn, "Don't worry; it tends to fade with time."

"What is Scoobiage?"

Xander and Dawn looked at each other, and Missouri could sense their collective "Uh oh"

John sat down on the back steps, "Yes, that and a geek called Andrew."

"Andrew, well he has to be seen to be believed," said Xander.

"What does a puppy called Spike have to do with who she's seeing?"

Xander looked at the serious expression on John's face and stifled a laugh, "We best go and…" he started to snigger.

Dawn looked at Xander before turning to John, "Yes, we'd better go and see what is going on."

"Puppy called Spike! Oh you can't make that up," Xander muttered, while smiling, as he followed Dawn into the house.

John put his head in his hands as Sam sat down beside him. Even though he had expected today to be tough, he never expected to feel so lost.

"So how are you holding up?" asked Sam.

"As well as can be expected. She thinks that once we get to know her we'll run, can you believe that?"

Sam looked up at his brother, before trying to explain his vision.

"Dad, there's something you should know," said Sam tentatively.

"What?"

"Well," Sam looked downward, feeling uncomfortable about sharing his vision.

"Sam?" asked Missouri.

"We need to keep little Dawn close," responded Dean.

"Why?" asked John, looking seriously at his younger son.

"You saw something, didn't you?" said Missouri to Sam.

John clenched his jaw, all previous thoughts about trying to understand his daughter gone, the hunter in him taking over, "When?"

"When I went to get Dean sir; and we didn't say sooner as we didn't want you to scare them when you locked down the house."

John nodded, "What did you see - exactly?"

"It was dark, Dawn was up against a wall, she was saying something, but I couldn't make out what. I don't know if that's important."

"Sam, get to the point," interrupted Dean.

"Yeah, a demon had its hands round her throat. But, it wasn't The Demon before you ask. It seemed to be an old woman but there was another one there as well just watching and I couldn't really say, if…"

"Can you describe it - the other one?" asked John.

"Young man, brown hair, sir."

John stood up, "Any idea how soon?"

"When he gets them they usually happen within a few hours," said Dean.

"What about where?" asked Missouri.

Sam shook his head, "As I said it was dark and I mostly got Dawn and the demon attacking her."

"Right, so I'm thinking that we keep them close. Try not to freak them out," Dean said to his father.

"So you aren't going to tell them?" asked Missouri.

John shook his head, "Not now - the way she's talking it won't go in."

Sam looked at his father, "So you aren't going to explain things to them at all?"

"Not today - today we just keep them safe, we keep Dawn and your sister safe."

* * *

Dawn stuck her head round the door.

"Look don't take this the wrong way, but we're gonna get some air." she disappeared inside briefly before again popping her head round the doorjamb, "But, we will be back!"

The Winchesters and Missouri looked at each other, before Dean rushed inside after her, "Hey Dawn."

"Your brother will keep them here," said John to the concerned Sam.

Sam paced as he watched the back door waiting for his brother to return.

"OK, I thought I understood English pretty well but that's a whole different language they were speaking," said Dean as he walked out to join them.

John looked at his eldest son and in a heartbeat both men were in unspoken but complete agreement.

"What do you mean?" asked Missouri.

"You don't want to know - trust me, you don't!" reiterated Dean, "I've been to Cali, but that, that was; I don't know what that was."

"And?" asked Sam.

"Got Dawn to stay, told her that all of them going would be crowding Buffy, and Xander was handling her better."

"You couldn't get the other two to stay?" asked John,

"Dad, she was going on about worlds of shrimp," Dean said, in all seriousness, "I think getting through to her about anything right now would have been difficult."

John looked up at Sam, hoping that he would be able to translate. Sam just shrugged his shoulders to which John nodded - it wasn't just a generational thing.

"At least getting Dawn to stay is something; it was her that Sam saw, John," Missouri said, "The other two will have to come back here to get her."

He nodded, "Right, you're right. We'd better get started."

"Reinforce the salt lines and shells?" asked Sam.

"I've got some other things that will work as well," said Missouri, "Besides we start sprinkling that stuff about, gonna make that girl think we're all five shades of crazy."

Sam nodded and followed Missouri inside.

"And Sam," said John.

"Yes sir."

"Be subtle."

Sam nodded, acknowledging his father.

He sat down again, and looked towards the backyard rubbing the stubble on his face and not even turning to his remaining companion, "So what are you thinking?"

"Stick to the plan, lockdown and get the other two inside before it hits the fan." said Dean.

John looked up at his boy from where he was sitting, "That's not what I'm asking son."

Dean looked puzzled, "What are you asking?"

"What are you feeling, 'bout all of this?"

Dean stood there for a second and tentatively replied, "I don't know, but if you want feelings Sammy's really the one to ask."

"Dean, I'm asking how you're doing?" said John.

He was stunned, unsure how to respond, "Okay considering."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, the whole new side of the family threw me for a loop, and we really could do without the vision thing but…"

"That's not what I meant. Dean I… shit, this isn't how I wanted to do this, it messes everything up and we don't really have the time. But, if they are coming, I'm not…I don't want- Jesus this is hard; and I couldn't talk to her," John took a breath; "I'm not having you think that what I said or it said to you about being proud of you when we were in the cabin before was just bull."

"Dad? You aren't going all chick flick on me, are you?"

* * *

Sam looked through the back window to see his brother sit down beside his father.

"I think we should leave them to it, don't you?" said Missouri, as she handed Sam a small bag.

"I don't…"

"Don't you think this is long overdue?"

"Yes, but."

"I know the timing isn't great but the speed your father was taking, thought hell itself might freeze over before he got round to this. Anyway once you put that where it needs to be, you should go entertain our guest."

Sam looked at her and nodded.

* * *

She was sitting in the reading room flicking through one of them many out of date magazines Missouri left for her customers.

"Hey - how are you holding up?" asked Sam, as he entered the room.

"Fine, you?"

"Fine."

"There has been a lot of asking of that today hasn't there?" said Dawn.

Sam smiled, "Yeah there has been."

"They maybe a little while. I could go back to the motel, you know," offered Dawn.

Sam shook his head, "Wouldn't hear of it, neither would Missouri. Anyway, guess you're family too now. I think?"

"Just think of me of the annoying little sister you never had."

"Alright," he said, giving her a wry smile, "Never really thought of it like that. To be honest never really thought too far ahead on this whole situation."

"Oh, well I'm everyone's little sis. But, not those that are younger than me."

"That would cancel out the little part."

"Except when they are very, very tall," Dawn grinned at him, glad that the comment seemed to break the tension.

"Two sisters for the price of one?"

"You have no idea," she muttered as she put down the magazine.

She smiled at him as she sat up, "But before you get ahead of yourself the whole overprotective thing with regard to the guys I date, that role is taken!"

"Better tell Dean that."

"Why?"

"You tell him he has free rein on the big brother deal and I can just imagine what he'll be like with both of you."

"Both of you are Buffy's younger brothers remember and if you think he's bad, oh I'll raise you her."

"But I've got my Dad, who can be a little overbearing at times." (_"To put mildly," _he thought).

"True but on their worst days they can't hope to match her," replied Dawn.

Intrigued, Sam sat forward in his chair, "So I should be worried?"

"Oh you'll see."

"What does she do?"

"Oh please like I am so not going to spoil this," said Dawn with a slight twinkle in her eye, "But I will say that God help any poor girl that you bring over or try to pick up in her presence."

"Dean's going love that, though as I said he'll do the same to you guys."

"Ahh, but with the exception of your Dad does he have the support squad?"

Sam looked a little confused, "The support squad?"

"Glare convincingly in the back. Though since I turned eighteen it's just really Spike that gives my boyfriends the whole '_I'll flay the skin from your flesh while you're still alive if anything happens to her_' look, while Buffy does her thing."

"Spike the puppy?" Sam said, making the connection.

"Yes, the puppy." Dawn replied, heartily amused at the image.

"So is his name really Spike? Did his parents not like him or something?"

"No it's William, but he's always been Spike to us."

"So you think we'll be in for the treatment then."

She sat for a second and looked at him. With those innocent eyes and with the mop of shaggy hair, he looked like a little boy lost, especially when he did that sweet furrowed brow thing whenever he got confused or had his resolved face on. The girls would eat him alive, Buffy's brother or not!

"Yeah but I think they'll be on your side," Dawn drew her eyebrows together, "Yep, you'll need them on your side."

"OK and what about Dean?"

"From the stories you've told me over the past couple of days; just tell the walking gland that he'd better be careful when he comes to visit."

"Why, what's he got to watch out for?"

"Jail bait!" stated Dawn.

Sam burst into laughter as Missouri watched the two of them from the doorway. It gave her hope, for all of them, that someday that they could have some chance of a normal life even if they could never fully walk away from this one.

Sam swallowed to allow himself to get the words out, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Dawn nodded, "Buffy, Xander and the rest of us; we look after a lot of mixed up kids, very forcefully minded, very resourceful teenagers, who aren't afraid to put their point of view across."

"And you're saying we have to be careful around them?"

"Well no. It's just the girls have been known to…. What were you like at that age when someone told you shouldn't do something?"

He pictured himself at fourteen/fifteen, covered in bruises from the first few times he had been taken along as an active participant in the hunt, hating his Dad for making him be there, and his only real escape involved him sticking his nose in a book, "I don't know."

"OK put it this way. Up to twenty teenage girls in a house with one or two possibly three adults at most."

"Frightening?"

Dawn's eyes widened, "You haven't witnessed the horror!"

* * *

Buffy stared blankly at the swing set as Xander returned with two coffees. After hours of walking, he'd finally gotten her to sit down.

"Penny for them?" he said, as he offered her the paper cup.

"What?"

"Penny, thoughts, want to trade?"

She took the coffee from his hand, "You think leaving Dawn with them was a good idea?"

"Suppose it's their first real test."

She gave him a little smile, "Test, that doesn't seem fair."

He cocked his head to side, "Well throwing them into a nest full of fledges probably would have been less scary for them, but she's all we have to hand," he said, "Anyway they are family to the Slayer."

"What? So now they get to know that they may get to be collateral damage in the war between good and evil?" asked Buffy.

"Better than keeping them in the dark."

"I just keep wondering how he'll react, and how the guys will take it."

Xander took a sip from his cup, "He's tough, he'll cope; your Mom did."

"He's wounded you know, that makes him unpredictable which could make him dangerous."

"Worse case scenario is he'll think you're crazy and throw you out. Then it'll be his loss."

"I don't know," she said, sounding unsure, "Especially when we mention Sam."

"It's not like we are planning to take him away or anything, we have no real idea what he can do. Anyway we could give it some time before we bring it up, give the five of you a moment to actually let everything sink in."

She looked over at him, with an expression of "as if".

"Please, everyone finds out I have a new family and that one of them is capable is wigging out Willow even though she was physically on the other side of the world and they not going to hit him with everything they've got. Or they…." She broke off from his gaze.

"You're worried about another Cordy aren't you?" Xander asked, trying to catch Buffy's eye.

"Yes," she said quietly continuing to look at the ground.

She looked up at him, as the tears started to well, "I'm going to lose them before I get to know them aren't I?"

"Oh come here," he held her in his arms as she let out her pain, "You know we could talk to Will and see if there is anyway we could hide them, just for a bit; till we find out what he can actually do, you know. We could find someone, so he knows the pit falls and show the other two what to look out for if the worst happens."

"You think?" she asked, resting her head on his chest.

"Sure, and if Willow doesn't know someone over here, I'm sure Giles could arrange for someone to come over. But in the mean time we do this slow, introduce ourselves one at a time, one bit of info at a time give them a chance to assimilate."

She looked up for a second, "What about Dawn?"

"We know the theory here, but are we 100 percent sure? Anyway, I think she's a little afraid of freaking them out herself. Last thing she wants is a repeat of Hank."

"Dad's disappearing act was never her fault, it's his! It's not like we even told him, he never gave us the chance." she wiped her tear stained cheek with the back of her hand, "My blood, her blood - this is one big mess!"

Xander reached into his pocket for tissue for her, "Those monks of her's sure knew how to screw things up."

"You're right though, one shock at a time," she looked up at her best friend who was still holding her in his arms, "When did you get so good at this."

"Your Mom gave me some pointers, though I missed the memo that I had to take her over from her on the whole emotional support front."

"She was good at that."

"That and the cookies and the hot chocolate and most other things snack related; but, I'm not taking up the baking."

Buffy smiled at his remark, "Think we should head back?"

"You sure you're ready?"

She dried her eyes and nodded, "Puffy?"

He took a second to look at her, "Much with the puffiness and the panda effect suits you so well."

"Jeez, thanks," she said continuing to rub away at the remains of her mascara.

"Well you did ask. There's a rest room over there," he said, pointing to a small hut at the side of the play park.

She handed him the coffee, "Five minutes and then we go back."

"Sure, and I'll check in with the tweed master general."

"He hates when you call him that."

"I know that's why I've stopped calling him that to his face."

"G-man it irritates him enough as it is."

As he watched her leave to freshen up, he reached into his jacket pocket and proceeded to turn on his cell. Within seconds, it started to bleep and flash, acknowledging the missed calls and messages that were noted on the display. A slightly perturbed Xander started to pick up his calls.

* * *

She walked out to find him almost standing inside the doorway. She could see a look of panic in his eye.

"We've got to get back now!" Xander stated.

"What?"

"Andrew called; Giles is on his way here!"

Still confused and now very concerned, "Why?"

"The seers, they came back. They're hunters Buffy."

"No way! You have got to be kidding me."

"John Winchester is a hunter; got himself an impressive reputation in their world, and the guys' well they're starting to catch up themselves."

She wasn't having this, she had enough big revelations dropped on top of her, "They've gotta be wrong."

"The story goes that John's wife, the guys' Mom got killed by a nasty and he saw the whole thing. Been looking for it ever since."

"Revenge?"

"Oh yeah, big time!"

"How could we miss this?"

"You know what that lot are like, paranoid as hell, never staying in one place too long," explained Xander, "and I lost my one decent contact for the Midwest a few months back."

"Knew we should have taken our time on this."

Xander stopped for a second, "There's something else; their little accident wasn't an accident. They pissed something off Buff, something big."

"We left Dawn there," the colour drained from Buffy's face, "We left Dawn there by herself and she doesn't know."

Buffy took off running as fast as she could, leaving her friend behind even though he was trying to keep up with the slayer.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N This is getting a little darker than I originally planned so thought I'd better re rate this just to be safe.

Again please let me know what you think.

* * *

The doorbell rang as Dawn left the kitchen and she went for her wallet.

"I'll get it!" she yelled to others.

She opened the door to find the delivery guy, and took the boxes out of his hands, "So what's the damage? Oh wait I've only got a ten, don't suppose you'd take Pounds or Euros would you?"

The man in front of her stared blankly at her.

"Didn't think so. I'll get some more, just wait a second."

She left him at the doorway and had only gotten a couple steps back inside before Sam walked into the hall.

"I thought I'd get us all pizza but I don't have enough cash on me; you got any Sam?"

He didn't move, he just stared at the figure in the door and in a calm tone said, "Dawn can you come here for a second?"

"What?"

She looked at the expression on his face, she'd seen it that look too many times, from her sister, from Willow, from Giles; all the times she'd put herself in the way of something that came calling. She slowly turned round to see the black soulless eyes of the pizza delivery guy.

She tried to close the door and even got as far as the reading room before she felt the full force of the blow that sent her flying towards the back wall. She saw Sam across the room from her, like her pinned, unable to move even though he seemed to struggling for all his worth.

He, or more precisely it, stepped through the front door before shutting it behind him. She could hear its footsteps in the hallway; it stopped for a second at the entrance to the room, as it seemed to take in its handy work. Sam grunted as he pulled, trying to break free; Dawn tried as hard as she could to move, though she knew it was futile. It bypassed her and walked straight up to Sam.

"Hello Sammy," it picked him up and threw him across the room sending Sam flying into the dresser.

"Sam!" yelled Dawn.

Dean came rushing in closely followed John and Missouri.

The possessed deliveryman grinned sickeningly, "Nice to see the whole family up and about."

Dawn saw John pull a gun from his belt but he was unable to follow through before all three of them were sent flying themselves.

All of them were unable to move, pinned to the walls, like some odd eclectic arrangement of badly hung pictures. The man in Sam's vision stepped back and gave way to the woman, a crone, who had followed him into the house.

She stood there eyes as black as coal, preparing to hold court.

"Hello John, you know we've been looking for you, and this as well," she said, as she picked up the colt that had been knocked out of his hand, handing it to her companion who was standing behind her, beside the door.

"You black eyed possessed bitch!" John growled.

"You can do better than that," the crone replied.

"You've got it, whoopee for you, so go. Leave us alone you freak," said Dean, trying to pull himself free.

She turned to face him, "Oh you're still chatty, always the talkative one, leave you alone you say. What would Daddy think of you if I did that? Anyway wouldn't that be anticlimactic?"

Dean started to howl in pain.

Sam screamed, "Dean!"

John pulled at his limbs unable to move them, shouting, "Leave him alone."

"Leave him alone, did he leave my offspring alone? Did he leave my spawn alone?"

"You're not him," said Sam.

"No," replied the crone, "But, as a father could not standby and let the killers of his children walk, neither could a mother, and my master has generously given me the opportunity to play with your little Dean."

"You're Meg's mother?" Dean spat out. He coughed, trying desperately to hold things together as wave after wave of pain tore up his insides, "Boy, did you hit every branch of the ugly tree on the way down."

The crone stood directly in front of him as Dean felt his chest tightening again, ripping at his heart, causing him to scream out.

"You know where she is now, where you and your brother sent her to with your little exorcism. I hear her Dean, I hear her cry out for my master, and for her brother, the one you killed, from the bowels of the pit."

She walked over to him and stroked his face, causing him to recoil, "You'll hear her, you'll see her, and you'll be her toy; you and your father; while she crawls out of the prison you sent her to."

"Don't you touch him," yelled John.

"Or what?" she laughed, as she took a step over to John.

Dean coughed again, before starting to black out. Dawn watched, silently, "It's going to kill him," she thought. She began to search her mind for anything and began to mutter under her breath.

Sam and Missouri saw the girl begin to move her lips.

"It was coming true!" Sam thought, "It's all coming true!" and it would not be long before Dawn would have the life literally choked out of her.

Dean suddenly took a sharp intake of breath, the pain had slacked, the tearing had stopped; he panted, steeling himself for the next wave to hit. The possessed old woman took a step forward towards her victims, but couldn't move any closer; she was surprised but barely seemed to acknowledge it. Her companion who had been watching, straighten slightly, seemingly waiting for something. The old woman looked round the room for a second, deciding on what new approach to take.

"So you've got some new members of the family, Johnny?" she started to smile, "You have been a naughty boy."

"Don't know what you're talking about," said John, looking at her but also watching his injured son out of the corner of his eye.

"You don't think you can get a daughter without us hearing about it, do you?" The old crone gave out a little laugh, "It seems poetic justice, your family takes a son and daughter from my master so we take the same from you - what do you say? Seems like a fair trade?"

Sam swallowed hard as he glanced over at his injured brother; Dean was barely holding his head up and Dawn seemed to be continuing to utter her quiet pray.

"Why don't you just go, you've got the colt?" shouted Sam, "Is it me you want? Why don't you just take me then?"

"Sammy. No!" shouted John.

The crone turned from John to focus her attention to Sam, "No, not now, you know this Sammy."

She then turned to Dawn.

"Leave the child alone, she's just here for a reading," said Missouri trying desperately to get it attention from the girl, "How did you get into my house?"

"Your little bobbles? You're playing out of your league little seer," she cocked her head to the side, "Isn't that sweet, she's praying."

Sam and John struggled finding that they were more able to move, as the old crone faced Dawn. Dawn looked the old crone in the eye, she spoke clear and her voice did not waver as she faced a demonic force that stood in front of her.

It wasn't English, Latin or even Greek she spoke, Sam couldn't quiet identify where the words that Dawn was uttering originated, but whatever she was saying, it had taken the wind out of this demon's sails.

The crone took a second to regroup, "So the new little Winchester has a little talent? But that only protects them not you," the crone narrowed its eyes and peered at Dawn, "And you know that don't you?"

Suddenly the crone threw out its arms, hands grasping at Dawn's throat, but still Dawn spoke as she struggled, unable to use her own hands to defend herself. The words were becoming harder to get out.

Dean could feel the pain rising again from inside him; he screamed and passed out.

Sam, John and Missouri cried out to him as they watched helplessly, as Sam's vision unfolded before them.

"Let her go."

The crone turned her head, hands still round Dawn's throat, to see the small blonde in the doorway to the reading room.

"I said let her go - now!" she said in a calm, commanding tone

Sam saw Buffy standing there, unflinchingly and steadfast. She took a few steps forward entering the room, gaze firmly fixed on the crone and Dawn.

The crone flicked her head towards the possessed deliveryman who stepped forward to take hold of this interloper. John started to struggle again hard although any leeway that he and Sam had before was gone. He did not expect to see what happened next, hell none of them expected to see what happened next, well not the fully conscious ones at least.

She didn't look behind her, did not seem to acknowledge to the large man who was presently striding towards her. He flew through the air with ease, taking out the window and part of the back wall of the reading room on the way out of the house, and not for one second had Buffy taken her eyes off the crone.

It looked at her; the whole room looked at her.

"It was not a request," Buffy said firmly, in the same calm, but what appeared more threatening, tone, "Let her go."

The crone looked from Buffy to Dawn who was now losing the struggle to breathe. It dropped her, shocking Dawn back to life.

"This isn't any of your business."

Buffy took a step forward, "I don't know what your beef is. BUT I DON'T CARE!"

Dawn spluttered, causing the old woman to look down, Dawn continued to cough as she raised her hand and gave thumbs up sign to her sister.

The old crone looked back up to see a wry smile begin to form on Buffy's face.

She took a second, but then the old crone took of running, closely followed by Buffy.

This exit caused the previously immobile occupants of the room to be released from their previous positions.

"Dean" Sam rushed to his brother's side, closely followed by John, who picked up the body of his unconscious son, "He's still breathing," Sam said relieved.

Xander burst into the room, "Dawn?"

He rushed over to the girl who was being cradled by Missouri.

"I'm alright," Dawn gasped, "But Dean."

Xander looked over at the group at the other side of the room, and then to the hole in the wall, "I see your sister's been here."

"It took off, she went after it," Dawn swallowed, her throat burned.

Xander gave her a little smile, "They always run," he stood up and turned to Sam and John, "Look after her," before he took off after the previous two.

John looked at Sam who stood up and ran to the kitchen, when he returned seconds later, carrying the shotgun that had been hidden under the sink.

"NO DON'T," Dawn rasped, as Sam ran passed her to go after Xander.

"Please they can handle it," she cried to John as the little black woman gently rocked her.

* * *

Sam was out of breath before reaching the man who had bolted from the house minutes before him. Xander was breathing heavy, but seemed to be standing watching something.

As Sam ran up to Xander, he saw what the other man was observing - she was taking them on, both of them, and she was holding her own, hell strike that, she was doing a lot better than that! She was just sidestepping the blows and the swings that they were trying to land on her.

Sam raised the shotgun, ready to fire; at what he didn't really know. A hand forcefully came down on the barrel pushing it towards the ground.

"Don't be stupid. Put that away," Xander said.

"What?" asked the shocked Sam.

"You could hit her. Anyway she doesn't need it."

Buffy kicked the deliveryman in the stomach sending him flying into a tree, as she turned her attention towards the old crone.

"Ahhh. That's gonna sting!" said Xander.

Sam just stood watching dumbfounded.

"She's had a tough week." Xander said, to which Sam just nodded.

The old woman fell to her knees as she started to expel black smoke from her mouth. Buffy turned and proceeded to start pummelling the other one who had barely gotten back to his feet. He in turn started to expel smoke.

"Faster than an exorcism. OK that does it, Sam call 911." Xander said, as he started to make a move towards Buffy who was still hitting the deliveryman as the smoke left his body. He ran up behind her and grabbed her in a bear hug.

"Enough - they're gone." He prayed to all gods, goddesses and the various PTBs out there that she could hear him.

She threw him off, knocking Xander to the ground and turned to face him, but the red haze had begun to lift from her eyes and she stopped.

Sam ran over to them, trying to hide the shotgun behind his back, "Ambulance on its way."

"Good, we'd better get out of here before they get here," said Xander, as he got up.

Sam went over to the deliveryman; he bent down and checked for a pulse while picking the colt out of the unconscious man's belt. Buffy watched him as he stood up.

"He's still alive. Think he'll be OK," Sam said.

"I know," she said, as she turned to walk away.

* * *

As the three of them got back to the house, they found it empty.

"Where are they?" asked Buffy as she frantically ran from room to room.

"Dean was badly hurt - hospital." stated Sam.

The ride to the hospital was a quiet one as Xander sped along the road.

Buffy had been calling Dawn's number but was getting no answer.

"If they're at the hospital she'll have it switched off," said Sam.

"They'd better be there," she said in a tone that was hopeful but also fearful.

* * *

They pulled into the parking bay and sprinted into the ER. Xander went to the front desk, as the other two searched the chairs in the waiting room and looked down the hall for any signs for their family. Sam caught sight of Missouri standing next to a cubicle.

"Hey," he shouted to catch her attention.

Missouri turned to see him run towards her; she flung her arms round him, "Thank God you are alright!"

She pointed over to some side rooms, "They're over there."

Sam nodded and rushed over to the trauma rooms.

Missouri saw Buffy and Xander behind him; she felt it now, not the wisps as she done in the past few days but all of it, the complete raw stomach punch of power that emanated from the girl.

"Buffy?"

"Dawn?" said Buffy, as she turned to see her sister sitting on the gurney; she pulled her in close.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have left you,"

"It's never stopped you before, and you thought it was safe," Dawn rasped, "Hey less on the squeezing, I'm okay, really."

Buffy let her sister go.

Xander looked at her, "You sure you're alright?"

"Well I was before the hugging. She made me see a doctor, had a story all worked out as well." Dawn said, as she acknowledged what Missouri had done.

"I wasn't going let her not be seen to," responded Missouri.

"Thank you," Buffy said, as grabbed hold on to the shocked little woman, giving her a big hug, "What about the others?"

Missouri looked at her, "John, he's fine; Dean, we're still waiting."

"Can I ask for the who's, what's and the whys?" Dawn said, hoping for some explanation from the three people in front of them.

"Turns out dad and the boys do a little clear up on the side of their own," said Buffy, which caused Missouri to look at her.

Dawn shook her head, which she admitted to herself was a bad idea, as it caused her bruised throat to ache a little more, "No Way!"

"Giles called; well actually he called Andrew when he couldn't get hold of any of us. The seers came back," explained Xander as he handed the girl a cup of water that had been sitting on side.

"Thanks," Dawn, took the cup from her friend's hands, "Good timing as always."

"Well you know them, though for once more than five minutes warning! I know they say it isn't an exact science and all, but it would be nice to actually be able to plan," said Buffy.

"Anyway, anti seer feelings aside," Xander said, "Looks like Giles is on his way here."

"I'm not anti seer. I would just like it, if on those occasions, that they do decide to give me the heads up on things, that they can do it with a more convenient timeframe.

"What maybe they can write them down, put them in a little book for you, like say a codex and give you a couple of hundred years to digest," added Dawn, who then proceeded to cough.

"I don't like prophecies, you know I don't like prophecies or visions especially seeing as most of them seem to involve me either up to my neck in goo or ending up six feet under okay. You never get one stating that the slayer will sit down with a good book and have a cup of coco."

Xander looked at his friend for a second, "You are getting old aren't you?"

Missouri watched Buffy for a second, "I take it that you and the Winchester boys are in a similar line of business?"

"You could say that," answered Buffy.

Missouri stood there and crossing her arms, "Really?" she asked in a slightly hostile tone.

"We're not evil if that's what you're worried about. We don't mean them any harm," responded Dawn, raspily.

"You, young lady, should not be talking," Missouri said before turning her attention to the other two, "and what exactly then do you do then?"

"We stop things' getting out of hand that's all," explained Xander.

"It's as Dawn said we're not here to hurt anybody. I just needed to know if they were…or are my family. With what I deal with, we thought it best to find them first. Before anyone or thing else does," added Buffy in a contrite tone.

Missouri looked at her and smiled, "That's what your brother said."

Missouri turned too see Sam and John coming down the hallway.

"How is he?" asked Dawn.

John looked straight at Buffy, face as black as thunder not saying a word.

"John?" asked Missouri.

"They're going to keep him in overnight; for observation," answered Sam.

"John?" Missouri asked again as the hunter silently looked at Buffy who had begun to stare back at him.

"If I had known what you were into…," said Buffy, in a hostile tone.

"Buffy!" said Dawn hoping to keep the peace.

"Did they follow you here?" he said accusingly, "Did you come looking for us because of them?"

"No," Buffy answered, as John took a step forward.

"Dad," Sam pulled at his father's arm, "He's in shock," he did not want this to turn into full out fight; especially considering what he witnessed earlier that evening.

Buffy stood her ground, "You think if I worked for them I'd have left my sister with you?"

"Buffy - please, not here," begged Dawn.

Buffy continued to look him in the eye, "As it is you should be thanking her for keeping you alive."

"Alive, what are you going on about girl? My son's stuck in here and you're going on about her keeping us alive?" said the confused, exhausted and very angry man.

Buffy coldly took a step towards John, causing Xander to jump in between the two of them.

"Buffy back off!" he said before turning to the other one, "You too, this isn't the time or the place."

Both the slayer and the hunter took a step back, causing Xander to breathe a sigh of relief, "Right I think some introductions are necessary," he looked Buffy in the eye, "Proper ones."

Missouri stuck out her hand offering it to the one eyed young man in front of her.

"Missouri Mosley, I can sense energies and am able to read thoughts."

Xander took it and shook it warmly, "I'm Alexander Harris, originally from Sunnydale California, watcher of the Cleveland Hellmouth and head of the North American branch of the International Watcher's Council. Though I keep telling people that the two jobs really should be split," he took a quick glance at Buffy before adding, "I'm also a carpenter by trade so I'll be round to fix your window tomorrow."

"Thank you," the little woman said surprised; she had actually forgotten the gapping hole in wall of her house.

Sam took a second to look at the laid back guy, the guy was always joking around, the man he'd had gotten to know over the past few days, and wondered about the long title he had given himself.

"Sam… Samuel Winchester, I was a pre law student but ehmm I now work with my brother … and my dad hunting down evil."

John continued to stand there silently.

Dawn put her hand in the air, "Dawn Summers, another Sunnydale survivor, going to college in the fall, member of the research wing of the Watcher's council European branch. Mostly ancient languages and … some other stuff, oh and younger sister to Buffy Summers."

John turned to look at the young woman sitting on the gurney who had just spoke for a second, before turning back to his staring contest with the woman in front of him.

"John Winchester got two boys Dean and Sammy. Found out this morning that I had a girl, now not so sure. I'm looking for the Demon that took my Mary, took her in front of me and Sammy, when he was a baby; took his girl too," he then added in a low tone, "And I'll take out anything bad I have to between here and there."

"Alright can't say the obsession thing is healthy but I'll play for the moment," Buffy said, "My name is Buffy Ann Summers, my Mom's name was Joyce, just found out a few days ago my father wasn't who I thought it was. He's some guy from Kansas with a couple of kids of his own. Never lied about that, never lied to you at all really."

She stood very still, "I'm the Slayer, well Head Slayer precisely; I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: See previous chapters

* * *

The question of who was going to blink first seemed to go on what felt like an eternity, both Dawn and Sam opened their mouths to form words, but nothing seemed to come out.

"Slayers don't exist," said John, his voice cold.

"So you have heard of us?" she answered.

"Like the rest of the vampire lore, load of crap," he stated.

"Well that explains the last twelve years of my life," she said sarcastically, "Take it from me, slayers exist, we come, we fight, we make the big bad things go away."

Buffy turned to look at Missouri, "Sorry about that window."

"That's alright child," replied Missouri as Buffy returned to staring at John.

Xander looked at Sam, "Take it you've come across a few vampires?"

"Yes, but not the cross hating, stake through the heart kind," Sam answered.

"Did they look human?"

Sam nodded his response.

Xander chewed the inside of his cheek, as he thought for a second, "Must have been the lower sub species."

Both John and Buffy broke of from their stand off to look at Xander.

"Kinda of stuck between the classic kind and us. Don't have the facial thing going on or the fangs, but they do have a second set of teeth that come out to feed. In some ways they're more invulnerable than our usual type, direct sunlight only gives them a nasty burn. They don't have the speed or strength though and the blood lust is increased – can barely go through a day without it."

"More Near Dark than Dracula," explained Dawn, to her slightly confused sister.

Buffy turned to look at her best friend.

"What? Me Watcher now, me must have the info, me must be able to dis, dis..."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Disseminate."

Xander smiled, "Yeah, what she said,"

Buffy just continued to look at him.

"Okay, Spike told me about them, but I did the background digging on my own."

"You and Spike had a conversation that ended with you doing some research?" asked Dawn, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, it was during the creature feature movie marathon on cable."

"I'm scared to ask," said Buffy, rolling her eyes, "What was on exactly?"

Xander looked at the ground for a second, "One million years B.C."

"You two actually had an in depth discussion about vampire evolution while watching Raquel Welch in a fur bikini?" asked Dawn.

"It started as a comment about how people back then didn't actually look like that, and it just went on from there. It wasn't really in depth, all he said was they give him the wiggins and they smell funny," Xander replied.

Buffy turned to her sister, as she pointed at Xander, "We need to find him a girlfriend."

Dawn nodded, "Been saying that for months."

Xander just seemed to ignore the last comment and continued to talk to Sam.

"From what I've read, they travel in small packs for protection; both sides see them as little more than vermin to be eradicated. They're supposed to be almost extinct."

"You saying that we came up against the rat version of vampires?" asked a slightly confused Sam, to which Xander just shrugged.

"But, if the stake through the heart doesn't work and the sun is out, that would just leave decapitation, wouldn't it?" asked Dawn.

"Fire should do the job as well," said Buffy.

"Dead man's blood - poison to them," interjected John, who was staring at the small woman in front of him.

"Really?" rasped Dawn. "Incapacities or ends it?"

He faced the little researcher, "Incapacitates."

"Interesting, must note that down," Dawn croaked.

Buffy rubbed her forehead, "Why do I think the chemistry set is coming out when we get home."

Xander shrugged his shoulders, "Well she is kind of right, there has been stalling on the whole R&D division."

"You have an R&D division?"

Dawn replied, "Not really, but we do need one."

"She's been watching too many James Bond's, decided she wants to be our version of Q," said Xander, to which Dawn just threw him a look.

Seeing the look on Sam's face, Buffy gave out a little sigh, "I think we have hit the point of no return in the world of the overwhelming."

John tilted his head to the side, "OK, say I buy the whole slayer idea, not that I'm saying I do, how do I know that…."

"That the test results were real?"

"Yes." John answered firmly.

"Okay, I know at least one person who could fake them, but I didn't. If you want, we can take the stupid test all over again and you can take the damn thing to someone you trust, as personally I can never enough cue tips shoved in my face!"

"Then why are you here?" he asked his tone still firm and cold.

"'Cause I couldn't get a hair appointment till next week," she said, sarcastically, "Look those demons that turned up, those high up incorporeal ones, they were yours, not mine. I did not bring them! They were after you, they didn't expect me, so you could at least show me and especially Dawn a little gratitude."

"For what?"

"For what?" she shot him a look, "I'm thinking the fact you have all of your limbs still attached may have escaped your notice. By the way Dawn a Babylonian protection spell? You know that doesn't protect the caster."

"It was the first one I could think of," coughed the little researcher trying to justify her choice.

Buffy turned back to face John, "Secondly, do you really think I got up one morning and thought, I'll go shopping for a new daddy? If that was the case, trust me, I would not have picked one from the, 'I'm just one-step away from the funny farm', hunting brigade. Thirdly, okay, I don't have a thirdly but I promise you, I will come up with one."

At that point, he couldn't help it; with everything that had gone one that day, it just felt so unreal; he smiled. He was receiving a dressing down from someone half his size but whom, from what he had seen and from what Sam had told him, was more than able to take on the things he had only been able to dream of stopping.

"Dad?" Sam asked tentatively.

Buffy burst out laughing, "This is totally absurd isn't it?"

John nodded at her, "Damn straight it is."

"And I thought my family was screwed up enough as it was," said Sam, as he watched his father.

"Welcome to a whole new brand of dysfunctional," said Xander, "You should see Christmas."

"You think that you two can really handle this?" asked Buffy.

John shrugged, "Not sure – I just want to get my boy out of here."

"Don't know how he'll take the idea of big sis being a superhero," said Sam.

"I'm not a superhero," stated Buffy.

"She doesn't have a costume," croaked Dawn.

"Though I still say that a clothing allowance would be a good idea."

Xander shook his head, "Clothing allowance for all of you girls, no way sister! We have had this discussion before - anyway you'd just spend it on shoes."

Buffy hit him in the stomach.

"So there is more than one of you?" asked Missouri, who had previously just stood by.

John looked at Buffy, "The story says there is only one."

"Was only one. I'm the last of the single chosen."

John asked as he straightened up, "You died?"

"Hazard of the job, but you'd know that," Buffy shrugged, "But aside from that, we woke up all of the potentials a few years back to deal with the First."

"The first?" asked Sam.

"Big evil had a nice little Neanderthal vampire army on the side," answered Xander.

"Army?" Sam looked at the other man in disbelief, "You dealt with an army?"

Buffy smiled, "That and anything else that wants to hurt people, just like you do."

He ran his fingers through his hair trying to get his head around the idea of a whole demonic army trying to end the world, "We deal with spirits, demons, shape shifters, things like that, not armies. All I want is to get the thing that killed Jess and my Mom."

"Jessica Moore, your girlfriend?" asked Dawn.

John looked at the girl, "You know about her?"

"Heard, our friend Giles thought Sam could pull a Drew Barrymore," she answered.

"You thought I was a fire starter," Sam said with a smile on his face, which quickly disappeared, "Wait. You thought I killed her… and my Mom!"

"No I... I know that doesn't sound good. Me and my big mouth," said Dawn, as both her sister and Xander looked at her.

John took a step forward, making sure his son was behind him, "You been checking up on my family?"

Xander took Buffy by the arm before she could react, "Look people we are all keyed up right now, how about we all get some sleep, and when some people are passed the wanting to jump down each others throat, they can discuss things without getting their signals mixed."

"Well as seeing as this one is alright and the other one is staying here I think you're right, it's time I got these two home for some rest," said Missouri as she picked up her bag, "Anyway I believe you offered to fix my house."

"Window fixage extraordinaire! Will be round first thing," announced the carpenter, "Come on Dawnie, let's get back to the motel."

John Winchester didn't move muscle as he watched them leave. He knew that this was not the place to do this, especially seeing the hurt in his son's eyes when he turned around.

"You okay Sam?"

"Yes sir,"

Missouri looked over at them, "You sure sweetheart?"

"I think so. Can we just get out of here?"

* * *

Sam wandered round the house, he wasn't happy; he hated it when his father barked orders at him. He was to stay there and make sure Missouri wasn't left alone, while his Dad went to collect Dean, in case they turned up.

He didn't like the idea of his father being alone when he told Dean all of this, if he told him about this. He could see John Winchester trying to sweep the whole slayer thing under the carpet.

As he sat down at the computer, he remembered the stories Pastor Jim and Bobby had told him and his brother as kids, the mythical warrior, the chosen one, the girl charged with fighting the vampires. He thought it was just a story, but until recently he didn't think vampires existed; so if they were real, wouldn't it stand to reason so was she?

When they had gotten back from the hospital, they had barely gotten through the door before John had gone for the phone. He'd gone through half of the contacts in his journal, even some of the ones that had threatened to kill him in the past, before he'd found someone who had some real information. From what he'd been told it wasn't just the slayers you had to worry about, it was the watchers.

Up until 3 years ago, they had left things alone unless it was big, then things had changed. They had started to get involved in the little things, and now they were offering help and resources if required; but you couldn't always be sure whose side they'd be on. Minor demons and creatures, that were being tracked, disappeared; and not in a stay dead way. This was usually after the receipt of some friendly advice to back off.

John had also found out that there had been some stories of them taking an interest in hunters and more worryingly, for a short while, they had supposedly taken an interest in their daughters; though no girls had actually disappeared. This 'friend' had received a little visit from a couple, a young man and a woman, just when the watchers had started to change their M.O. They'd scoped out her place and then just left. She hadn't seen them again, but she had made sure that her girl, wasn't out of her sight for more than a couple of minutes at a time until she was sure it was safe.

Sam started searching again for more information, he needed to know more; he knew he shouldn't have left the paper chasing to his brother. His head was swimming…they had known about his Mom and Jess… they had thought he had done it, thought he was capable of doing it, but they still came.

* * *

He heard the car drive up – they had turned up just as they said that they would. Missouri had beaten him to the door, but he knew his job at that point was to hold back and just be seen. However, after what he'd seen her do last night, he didn't see what think that was going to do any good.

"Good morning," said Xander.

"Hello," Missouri looked over her visitor's shoulder expecting to see some other faces, "You alone?"

"Yeah, the girls are better at the de- rather than the con- side of the struction – thought it best I do this by myself. Can I come in?"

She stepped to one side to let him enter the house, "Sure."

Sam watched silently, as Missouri and Xander stood by the hole in the wall. They were exchanging pleasantries as Xander was taking down measurements; they were talking as if it was a normal day, only occasionally mentioning the events of last night. Xander had joked that Buffy's aim had gotten worse, and Missouri had apologised for John's tone the night before to which Xander had said he understood, hell he'd be the same. He'd even thrown a quick apology for Dawn's revelation Sam's way, to which Sam had just nodded.

She had gone to make a cup of coffee as Xander had started to make lists of things he needed.

"You do this a lot?" asked Sam, deciding no longer to just passively observe.

Xander looked up at him, "What, windows?"

"Yeah."

"Not so much anymore."

"It's just that you treat this as normal."

"Well she tends to use doors these days, though I do crave the normal," explained Xander, "Just can't see it happening for me, too many people I care about who can't walk, Buffy for one. You?"

"You know I tried to get out, ended badly," said Sam stoically.

Xander nodded, "Yeah, dead girlfriend, sorry."

"Still see it every time I close my eyes." Sam was unsure why he was opening up to this guy.

"Wish I could say it gets easier, but it never really does, you just learn to go on."

Sam looked at the guy, it was the way he said it, "You lost someone?"

"When Sunnydale went. Never saw it myself, was on the line with Dawn. Told she took a whole bunch of them with her," he beamed proud as he said the last part, then his voice started to break a little, "There is a part me that'll always wonder; if I'd only been there? But, hey it's just one of those things I'll never know."

Sam stood there, unsure what to say, "She like Buffy, you know a slayer?"

"Anya? Nah, much better with the blunt comment than a blunt instrument; though she could be really handy with one of those as well."

"Jessica was always more of a peacemaker type, always in the middle of things. Thought she could stop me with one of her disapproving looks just as easily as one of her smiles," Sam said.

"They all seem to have at least one of those don't they?"

"Yeah, they do"

"Convinced they take classes," Xander nodded, "Probably instead of gym."

"Definitely," Sam let out a little laugh as Missouri came back in with the coffees.

"So where are the other two then?" she asked, as she put down the cups.

"Dropped them off at the hospital on the way here, they wanted to see how your brother was doing," replied Xander.

"Dad won't like that, he's down there now."

"Thought he'd be there" added Xander, as he put down the paper he'd been writing on.

"It's just that I don't think he'll let them anywhere near Dean," said a slightly concerned Sam.

Xander smirked, "They're a lot alike."

Sam drew his eyebrows together slightly confused, "Huh?"

"Buffy and your father," explained Xander, "Joyce was never big on the big confrontations. Don't get me wrong, she had her moments, but never unless it was really the last resort. I just can picture the two of them down there now. Immovable force one verses immovable force two."

"That will go down well," said Missouri.

"They have a lot of the same qualities. Though John's taller, hairy and hopefully not so much into shoes," said Xander, causing both Sam and Missouri to chuckle.

"Seriously, they lived in Rome. They're place - a temple to Jimmy Choo," added Xander, causing Sam to raise an eyebrow, "Yes I know the names of people who make shoes. You should thank your lucky stars that you did not have to live through the hell that will always be known as '_The week when Sex and the City ended_'."

* * *

Buffy walked down the corridor looking for any sign of him. Doctors and nurses passed her, hustling and bustling about their business; Dawn has disappeared somewhere. She was sure he'd be there waiting for them to show.

She eventually saw him; he was sitting on a chair beside a room with a closed door. He looked as if the world had tried to squash him and he'd barely crawled out the other side. She took a deep breath and walked up to him.

"How is he?"

John looked up to see her face, she looked concerned and he was too tired to fight right now.

"Doctor's in with him right now, asked me to wait out here."

"He'll be okay," she said, as she sat down beside him, "You told him about, you know?"

"Don't know if he believed me."

She nodded, "Not many people do first time out."

"Really, can't imagine why," he said sarcastically.

"Okay, I'll give you that one, I deserve it after the funny farm comment last night," she sighed, "Look I have no idea how you guys have coped with everything. Hell I don't know how I've coped and I've probably had a lot more backup than you had. I'm just saying that I'm not here to make things any worse for you; if anything I maybe able to help."

"So you ride in like the cavalry and take over then?"

"No, I'm just willing to lend a hand, and didn't they have something to do with custard?" she said, looking at him.

He wasn't sure where that question had come from, "I think you mean Custer and it was the seventh one."

"They were the ones that got massacred, right?" she asked, trying to get clarification on the subject.

"Yes," he said slowly.

"Right, knew something that something bad happened to them, wasn't sure what custard had to do with though."

He just looked at her.

"History isn't my strong point," she said shrugging her shoulders, "As for the coming to the rescue thing, don't want to step on toes, though I'm told I'm good at that."

"You don't say." His tone sarcastic.

"I said you can have one. So can we get past the passive aggressive crap you've got going on here? I know that you really would like to pick up that chair and throw it at something but I'm guessing that you've got more sense than to do that here?"

"So I'm supposed to just get over the fact that you accused my son of killing his mother and his girlfriend."

"No-one accused Sam of doing anything," she stated, "I think what Dawn said was that we had ruled that out. However, if you are going to start about the snooping into backgrounds I can say you guys were just as bad, with Dean and his unsubtly questions about Sunnydale and Missouri the psychic."

"Boy needs to learn tact," John admitted.

"Well he takes after his father," she said in a sympathetic tone, "As for the fire starter deal, with all the moving you did and with two deaths by fire while he was in the room, in my world it adds up to a real possibility."

"Well he isn't, and if you or your little watcher friends come after him," he said his tone threatening.

"Right I get it okay," replied Buffy, "So, I think that this is the point where we do the whole swappage of information."

John couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You're serious, aren't you?

"Well yeah. Look, you may not like the way that this has turned out, and I definitely am not with the happy on this whole situation, but I am your daughter. So, if this thing has decided to take out this family then I am involved, slayer or not – so spill."

"You first- how did you know about Sammy?"

She looked at the ceiling, getting through to this guy would not be easy.

"OK, you admit he's 'special'."

"Never said he wasn't, just that he could never have hurt his mother or the girl he was in love with," said John, his face giving away nothing.

"Right blood and stone scenario continuing here; you know if you ever decide to get out of the whole hunting thing you should really think about a career in retail, you are such a loss to the service industry."

John raised an eyebrow to that comment.

"Okay, I'll spill. A few days ago, Dawn found some of my Mom's old diary entries, so that's when I found out about you. I was a little shocked at the news."

"Understandable," he said.

"Thanks." She took a second trying to think of the best way to phrase the next part, "I know this bit will not go down too well. My friend Will, she did a locator spell and found you guys."

"A spell? She's a witch?"

"Yes a witch, a good one. She doesn't do the entrails or the cackling. Alright there maybe entrails on an occasion, she goes to the butcher to get them. She's all about supporting local businesses you know, and she's the first in agreement with the ickiness and then she tends to throw up."

He raised and eyebrow, "You're losing me."

"Right, well she was trying to narrow things down and I'm not sure about the exact terminology but she got tangled or bumped into him. When she got back she said that she was sure he had spotted her, so next thing I know is that I'm on a plane."

"Why is that important?"

"Still with the questions?"

"With what you've said, humour me?" he asked.

"Or what? You going to ground me?"

He did not look amused.

She bit her bottom lip for a second, "Right building bridges here, but you better spill also or I swear I will drop kick you down this hall."

John looked a little taken aback at the way she had slipped in that comment.

"We don't know a lot about slayer families, not with the new set up. Use to be one slayer and the old council, now lots of slayers and new council. We lost the majority of slayer histories when the old council blew; so the idea of someone, powerful enough to spot Willow, being related to one of us. Well no-one knows what that means."

John furrowed his brow as he spoke, "I think I'm getting you, it was your witch friend that caused Sam to almost collapse last week and you came here wanting to know what it meant"

"Yes," Buffy nodded, "Well not me per se, at that point I was still in shock at the fact that my Mom cheated on my Dad, and I wasn't who I thought I was deal."

"What about this council? What do they want?"

"No, I've done my part and they don't mean you, Dean or Sammy any harm," she looked him straight in the eye, her expression serious, "I want the who, what and most importantly the why."

He sat silent, thinking for a second, not sure what exactly to say. He looked at her, took a breath and told her, told her about Mary, told her about the Demon and how he'd gone looking for it and how he had taken his boys along for the ride.

However, neither of them had noticed the doctor leave, which had given her the opportunity and she taken it. She quietly opened the door and entered the room while the other two were deep in conversation.

* * *

He was packing the small bag of clothes his father had brought, he was looking pale, but hey his insides had been used as a squeezy toy, so pale, fragile and breathing was good.

Dawn smiled at the sober face before her, "Hello, how are you feeling?"

"OK," he said, watching her suspiciously.

"Right, take it you have heard the news."

He continued to watch her, "Been told."

"Well at least you haven't booked a one way ticket to the land of Egypt yet."

He straightened up not saying a word.

"Jeez this is going to be a hard crowd," she said, then she remembered what was in her hand, "Got you this."

She handed it to him, and he looked at it for a second before reaching into the gift shop bag.

"Didn't really think you were the flower and grape type – and they didn't have a green one," said Dawn.

He pulled out the small white stuffed gorilla.

"Could call it Tharl II if you want, or as Buffy's got a Mr. Gordo and there is a Mr. Pointy somewhere you could call it Mr. Tharl. But, if you still have the other one it could be Mrs. Tharl, as I'm don't think that you could say it has a definite gender at this point in time. But, it is really up to you."

Dean just looked at the stuffed toy in his hand, "Sam. Remind me to kick his ass."

He raised his head to see her smiling at him, "Cute, real cute. This slayer thing real?"

"Afraid so, how about the hunting thing?"

Dean nodded at her.

"That's cool."

Dean narrowed his eyes before asking, "I know that you didn't do any of the throwing people through walls, but you were doing something last night."

"Not a slayer, but you know what they say about a little knowledge."

He just looked at her blankly.

Dawn raised an eyebrow, "Protection spell and I'm no witch either, before we go down that road. I'm good with the research so I've picked up a thing or two."

"You sure it isn't you and Sam that aren't related?" said Dean half jokingly.

Dawn swallowed, "Why do you say that?"

"He's big on the paper trail, though I've never seen him start any fires with anything other than a match."

"Oh you've heard that bit."

Dean nodded, "Dad didn't take too kindly to that one."

"Yeah kinda noticed," Dawn said, "They're doing the talking thing right now, though it is pretty quiet out there."

"He doesn't really do the raised voice thing, unless it's Sam."

"She's not real big on that either, so we should take it as a good sign that they aren't throwing things at each other."

Dean nodded in agreement, "Do you want to go and see if they're just sitting staring at each other?"

"Could do, if you're ready to go; do you want me to take that?" asked Dawn, reaching for the bag.

He was taken aback, "No, I think I can handle it."

She stepped back, "Sorry didn't mean to hurt the ego. It's just with seeing that this is a hospital and you being the patient."

"Let's just go, but you are taking this!" he said, handing her the stuffed animal.

"OK, I'll protect the image, for now," she took the small toy from his hand, "However, I do reserve the right to re-edit this story and say that there was some tearage involved, if I hear that you haven't been taking care of him."

"You know you are a right pain in the ass."

"Oh most definitely!" she said smiling.

* * *

A/N The idea of making another species of vampire was the easiest way I could think of to explain the differences between the ones seen in both series – hope that is okay with people.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.

Finally able to get this up - feels like ages since I've been able to do this.

Thanks so much to Softly for betaing this as it meant it got up a lot quicker than I planned.

Oh yeah - please review - trust me your thoughts really do help!

* * *

As the old station wagon pulled up to the front of the house, the four occupants could see Sam and Xander start to unload tools and other supplies to fix the wall, from Xander's rental.

"Hello, nice to see you guys have finally decided to join us," said Xander, as he picked up a workbench.

"How you feeling?" asked a concerned Sam.

"Been better," said Dean, as he closed the car door, "You two having fun?"

"Oh yeah, having a blast," replied Sam, as he pulled a two by four out of the trunk.

He turned his head to look at Buffy, "Thanks, for the little distraction."

Buffy put her hands up in the air, "Hey, it's not my fault that the window decided to get in the way!"

"Then what did the wall do?" asked Xander.

"That's why you're here," she said, giving him a little smile.

"As always, you cut a swath of random destruction, and I try and fix what you break."

"But you still love me don't you?" Buffy asked, pouting.

"Yes, you are still my bestest buddy," said Xander, shaking his head. "Anyway you've got some 'splaining to do."

"Why?"

Xander gave her a knowing look, "Go inside and you'll see."

Dawn's face lit up as she noticed another car sitting in front of the house.

"Giles is here?"

"Yes, the G-man is currently residing within the given building." Xander nodded and continuing in his attempted upper class English brogue, "and I believe he is currently supping tea."

"Xander? What have you been told about accents?" said Dawn as she placed a hand on her hip.

"I know - Clanics," he pointed one of the tools he'd picked up at her; "You know I've always said you were the mean sister!"

Dawn stuck her tongue out at him.

"So Giles turns up and you two decide to regress to your childhood?" asked Buffy as she turned to walk up the steps.

"I wouldn't say regressed," Xander said to Sam.

John was standing side by side with his two sons.

"Well Dawn, you want to give us a hand with this stuff," asked Xander, sensing that the three men needed some time on their own.

Dawn nodded, and on picking on some tools, proceeded to follow Xander into the house.

"Who's here?" asked John, in his typical curt authoritarian tone, causing Sam to sigh, as he was not really in the mood to deal with his father right now.

"Rupert Giles, friend of Xander's. They go way back; actually he was their school librarian."

Dean raised an eyebrow, "Rupert?"

"He's English," said Sam, rolling his eyes, "turned up just before Xander went to the hardware store."

"Really?" said John suspiciously.

"He's also her Watcher, Dad."

John quieted.

"Watcher? What the hell's a watcher?" asked a confused Dean, causing both John and Sam to look at him. "Oh come on, give a guy a break, will you? I got the slayer part, and how they thought he's the human frickin' torch and that you're so pissed that you want to do I don't know what Dad. So excuse me if I missed the watcher bit."

"They look after the slayers, train them to fight." explained Sam, "Xander's one, and so is Dawn kind of."

"And so is this guy?" asked Dean.

"Yes, he's Buffy's, he's taken care of her since was sixteen. He's also the head of their council," said Sam as his brother stood there nodding while he took in the information.

"OK, is it me or is that just creepy?" Dean started.

John looked at him, "What?"

"Some old dude been following her around since she was a kid."

"He's about same age as Dad," said Sam, causing John to look at his eldest son.

Dean shuffled his feet, "Still creepy."

At that point, Sam noticed the small white paw sticking out of the gift shop bag.

"What is that?"

Dean looked down to see what Sam was pointing at, "Present - kid got it for me."

"She got you a stuffed toy?"

"What can I say, she likes me," said Dean smiling, "And the fact that someone may have mentioned something could have given her the idea."

"What?" asked Sam, "Oh, she told me about Mr. Gordo."

"So you felt the need unburden yourself about my past?"

"I remember you use to love Tharl."

John shook his head at his sons before asking, "What's this guy like?"

Sam shrugged, "Seems stand up, apologised for any problems that they caused and he gets on alright with Missouri. He seemed really concerned about the three of them."

"So this would be the father figure she talked about?"

"Still think it's creepy," said Dean. "The idea of this guy taking a bunch of little girls and training them to fight."

"I think we are all can agree on that," said John.

Dawn came back out smiling and skipped down the steps to the car.

"Sorry to break up this little meeting, but we were wondering Sam, are you going to bring that piece of wood in or have you decided to keep it as a new fashion accessory?"

Sam looked down to see he was still holding the two by four, before handing it over to her.

"Sorry."

"Thanks. I'll let you get back to it," she said, smiling at the three of them.

They watched her as she bounced happily back into the house.

"So what do they know?" asked Dean, wondering just how much these people knew about their life.

"Told her most of it," answered John truthfully.

"Really?" said Sam, more than slightly surprised.

"Yes, except about the colt and what happened in the cabin."

Dean looked at his father, "So what now?"

"Not sure, but it turns that out you're stronger than we thought Sam."

Sam looked unsettled, "What do you mean?"

"They found us using a witch; she wouldn't have been spotted if it weren't for you."

"The spirit thing?" asked Dean.

John nodded in acknowledgement.

"So is this good or bad?"

"Don't know," answered John, "They don't know either, that's why they came. She said that the day she found out about her mother's diary was the exact same day you almost passed out."

"And you believe her?"

"She feels legit, but this is happening way too fast."

"We could ask her to take the test again, could buy us some time," said Dean, hoping that that might be a viable plan.

"She offered that last night, said we could take it to someone we knew," replied Sam.

"Let's see what this guy wants before we cross that bridge," stated John.

* * *

Sam picked up some more of Xander's supplies before he closed the trunk and followed his father and brother into the house, passing Dawn on the way. The house was quiet, as everyone else seemed to be either out in the backyard, or in the kitchen. Missouri was standing at her sink, looking out of the window. She was watching the two people of whom were speaking quite animatedly on her lawn.

"You hear anything good?"

Missouri jumped out of her skin, causing her to drop the cup she had been holding in her hand. She turned to see Dean's grinning face.

"Lord help me boy, you gave me a scare."

"What your spider sense not working or something?"

He could see it in her eyes, she was fighting the urge to come over and cuff him round the head. He smiled a little, he knew he had a free pass. He knew he would not have it for long but he was definitely going to take advantage of it.

"How are you feeling?"

He gave a diminutive fake cough, to which his brother just rolled his eyes,

"I'm good."

The expression on her face changed to concern, "You sure?"

"You know it takes more than that to stop me," he smiled slightly pathetically, "So what they been saying?"

"I don't know, I've been talking to you."

"So what's your take on this guy?" asked John.

"Polite, very British, sure of himself, a bit nervous for his girls and the boy."

John just looked at his old friend, "So are you in agreement with Sam then?"

"From what I've seen they respect him, and from speaking to the man I can understand why."

"Am I sensing a little crush here?" said Dean cheekily.

She scowled at the boy, "Honey, don't you dare start with that. He wants what's best for them, and seeing how he's come half way round the world to see if they are doing alright, I think we all can at least give him the benefit of the doubt."

"So you think we should give him a chance?" asked John.

"The girl pulled our asses out of the fire last night John, if they all wanted us dead, she would have just left them to finish what they started, so yes I think you should talk to the man. Though knowing you, you'll probably go in there guns blazing." Missouri was sometimes too sensible.

Before John could say a word, Dawn had wandered into the kitchen, her hands full of tools and other supplies.

"Take it Xander's still setting up?" She asked while stopping beside Dean who was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter. Dawn plonked down her load before picking out the shotgun that Sam had left in the car last night.

"That, I believe, belongs to you guys," she said smiling, and catching the expression on Dean's face as she had dropped the gun, she let out a little sigh. "Don't worry it's not loaded, I'm not that stupid."

She pulled the shotgun shells out of her pocket and handed them to him, "Xander took the shells out last night, after someone else, Sam I think, left it in the back of the car. Though I'm not sure rock salt would do any real lasting damage?"

Sam shuffled uncomfortably as his father glared at him, with everything going on at the hospital the night before, he had clean forgotten it; something he wasn't brought up to do. Losing a weapon through stupidity wasn't something that happened in the Winchester family.

"You ever get it to work for arrowheads?" asked Dawn.

"Arrowheads?" asked Dean.

"Yeah, for a bow or have you tried crossbow bolts? Have you guys worked out how to get the salt to disperse without using a gun?"

"You know how to use a bow?" asked the slightly surprised Sam.

" -'Course, don't you?" she replied.

Dean smiled, "Sammy doesn't like bow hunting too much."

"Oh, I always thought it was a pretty handy skill to have," stated the girl.

John and Dean both looked at Sam, who suddenly felt like he was a chubby, awkward twelve year old again.

"So you prefer using a short bow or cross?" asked John.

"Oh, the cross, I'm more accurate with it, but I tend to use a bow in the summer. You have to alternate." Dawn stated practically.

"Really?" John said, sounding impressed.

"Totally, if I don't get my positioning right when firing the crossbow, I bruise; no good for spaghetti straps. If I use the short bow for too long, my arms begin to tone up too much and, well let's just say it's not a flattering look unless you're Popeye," she said seriously, "I'd better get the rest of this stuff out the back."

As she walked out to the back porch, Sam bit his lip as he looked at his father, while his brother sniggered in the background.

"Not a word Sam, not a single word," said John emphatically.

"You know there is this girl we use to know, now upstairs, probably drinking very exclusive heavenly champagne telling everyone around them 'At least one of them listened to me,'" said Xander, standing in the doorway.

"Are you saying I have arms like Popeye the sailor man, Alexander Harris?" asked Buffy with a slightly mocking frown.

"Jesus" he said jumping.

"No - you have nice arms - little girly arms," he spluttered trying to recover.

"I think what Xander is trying to say is, that in Cordelia's opinion, those concerns have not always been high on your list of priorities - although I'm not sure where she ever could have gotten that idea from?" said the man behind her in an English accent.

Buffy stood there for a second, looking at Xander, before turning to see how Dawn was doing.

"I'm going to pay for that aren't I?" said Xander to his friend.

Giles nodded with a smile, "Yes, I believe you are."

"Thanks for the attempted save," Xander drew his eyebrows together.

"You're welcome, though as you said, it probably didn't do any good."

"It's the thought that counts." replied Xander, "Oh yeah, introductions, John and Dean Winchester, Rupert Giles"

Giles turned to the other occupants in the room and offered his hand to the older man.

"Hello, we've been told you're Buffy's watcher," John said, as he took Giles' hand.

"Yes, I am."

John carefully weighed up the other man for a second, "You taught her to fight."

"She has always possessed the ability to defend herself, it was my job to help her to become better able to meet the challenges she has had to face," answered the Englishman, "And I believe you're a hunter, with quite a reputation within your community."

"I do what I can." John said stoically.

"Yes, I've heard some of the stories," Giles pulled off his glasses, "I believe Buffy has explained what her role as slayer involves."

"Kind of, though I can't say I ever believed that there was one, or a council that trained kids to fight."

"I understand how it looks from the outside." He took a thin cloth from his pants pocket and started to clean lenses. "To be honest I wish it wasn't so, but unfortunately, as you are well aware; the other side doesn't play fair either."

"True. May I ask what you've heard?"

"That you are searching for the Demon that took your wife, though you are more than willing and able to deal with anything else that crosses your path. I have also heard that your sons are following in your footsteps."

Dean straightened up, "You've heard about us, me and Sam?"

Giles gave a little smile at the young man's reaction, "Yes, you sound surprised."

"Well, yeah." answered the older Winchester brother.

"From the stories I have been told, you and your brother have been carving out a niche of your own, and if you continue in this manner you have the makings of a solid career which might have a true impact."

"Really?" asked Dean.

"Oh yes, though I must admit, the incident in New Orleans, the one you handled yourself Dean. Though the outcome was satisfactory and the solution you came up with was definitely creative, the actual execution felt a little… rushed." Giles replied, with an analytical look in his eyes.

Dean looked at the man, slightly dejected.

"Don't take it too heart dude, consider that as high praise," said Xander.

John looked at his son.

"I had to go get Sam, you had… other business to take care of," said Dean, answering his father's silent question, causing John to nod.

"That would explain Sam's reappearance. Though I am confused about the situation in St Louis, where you appear to have been killed and your brother identified the body – I'm right in assuming that was the two of you?" questioned Giles.

Dean opened his mouth to say something.

"No offence, but from what I heard, your kind don't come out unless you want something, so what is it?" asked John abruptly, causing both Xander and Giles to look at each other.

"I can understand your apprehension at my presence. The council's previous incarnation did not hold much regard for your community. It is a situation which we are hoping to change," said Giles calmly, while looking at Xander.

"Hey I'm trying," he said before pointing a finger over to the Winchesters, "It's their lot that's stubborn."

"Indeed," Giles replied to Xander; then turned and gave his full attention to the other older man in the room, "I was concerned about the situation Buffy, Dawn, and Xander may have walked into unknowingly. Although I am well aware that they are more than capable of handling whatever is thrown at them," stated Giles and he took a breath before continuing. "From what I have been told about last night, I feel there maybe a reason to be concerned. If you were in my position I am sure you would feel the same."

"Maybe, though I'm not sure if I like the idea of a man who trains little girls for this fight, coming here to lecture to me and mine," said John in an abrupt defensive tone.

The atmosphere in the room started to turn decidedly frosty.

"I can appreciate your feelings on this matter; I am not trying to belittle you nor what you have been through in anyway. Though from what I have heard and seen, you are hardly averse to turning little boys into soldiers."

Dean could see the hackles on the back of his father's neck rising, this was not good, not good at all. He could see both Buffy and Dawn standing in the doorway watching the same thing happening with this Giles guy.

"You know, I've always noticed that if you throw a little brother or sister into the mix, you tend to have plan more," said Xander, who had seemed to have completely missed the update on the current situation, "You have to think about absolutely everything or their off, getting into trouble all on there own some. 'Cause they've always got something to prove."

"Hey, knock it off," came a voice from the doorway.

Xander smiled, "I'm just saying that some people need to be looked after more than others."

"Look whose talking!" said the brunette as she gave Xander an insulted look.

Xander looked at her and very calmly stated, "I've never sparked off a major international incident."

"International incident, there was no incident - okay there was an incident, but it was not international, and not definitely not with the major," shrieked the offended Dawn, "Right it was international, as he was French and I'm not, but as in the major it definitely wasn't; no-one had to call the marines. And before you say anything it was an accident."

Xander looked at her, "Thought you said he deserved it."

Dawn glanced over at her sister hoping for some help, and not finding any, turned back to Xander, "Well he did, he was all with the hands."

"So you are saying it was the getting caught part was the accident?" asked Xander.

"Yes it was. The rest was totally deserved."

"He was a policeman who caught you in the Louvre the night before an official visit from the French and Italian finance ministers, he was going to search you!" stated Buffy.

"See there you go – hands. You admit there were hands involved!" said Dawn triumphantly as if that made everything alright, "He was buying the whole stupid American tourist who got dared to spend the night in the creepy museum thing."

"Until he found you had the high powered rifle." Xander said, in a matter of fact manner.

Sam looked curious, "Rifle?"

"It was only a tranq gun, and I only had it as I was following that bell ringer who had gone walkabout," Dawn explained. "And it's not as if I just left the guy there, I took him to the hospital after we got the thing back to its tower, what else did you expect me to do?"

Buffy looked at her little sister sympathetically, "One or the other, not both Dawn."

"The falling down the stairs part happened after, alright?"

"You have said that, but am not with the believery-ness," replied Xander.

"He was fine, Dieter said he was okay," she said in a put upon voice, "Jeez, you tranq one policeman and you never live it down."

"You stabbed the guy in the ass with a tranq dart Dawn," said Xander, "Anyway who's Dieter?"

"Cute med student she met at the E.R," explained Buffy

"Ah now it becomes clear. Assaulting policemen is your new pick up technique," said Xander, causing Dawn to glare at him, "Anyway Dieter doesn't sound French?"

Dawn crossed her arms, "He's originally from Strasbourg."

Xander thought for a second, "On the border, Germany right?"

Dawn nodded, before turning to her sister.

"What?" asked Buffy, reacting to her sister's glare.

"I didn't mean to do anything to him, OK?"

"Oh right - you didn't." Dawn huffed.

"Look I liked the kid, it was just that I didn't expect to meet him coming out of our bathroom first thing in the morning."

"I told you that he worked shifts and was coming round for breakfast, but no you have to forget that, and as your mind is so in the gutter, you have to just completely freak out!"

"I did not freak out! I was just a little surprised. And yes I forgot, you know me and mornings don't mix too well until the first cup of coffee hits, next time just put a big note in front of my door, so I'm sure to get the message."

"Like I'll ever see him again."

"Did I say I was sorry."

Dawn rolled her eyes, "Yes, many, many times."

"I admit he was cute," said Buffy, nudging her sister gently with her shoulder as they both stood in the doorway, "Really nice cheekbones."

"They were, weren't they, not in the Johnny Depp league, but they were real nice" said Dawn mournfully.

"No, but have you ever seen a guy in real life whose are?" Commented her sister, "I'd say they were closer to Orlando Bloom."

"Yeah," said Dawn, beginning to smile as she remembered, "and he had that really tight rear…"

Dawn and Buffy looked up, every male eye in the room, apart from Xander's, were upon them. Xander was looking at the floor with a grin on his face.

Giles turned to John, "If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them,"

"Yeah, though I think that it might be better if we do this outside."

"Certainly," said Giles, before turning to Missouri, "If you'll excuse us."

"Of course," answered the little dark woman.

As both the older men passed her at the doorway, Dawn turned a bright shade of red and glowered at Xander.

Missouri looked at the boy who was still grinning, "You are good!"

Xander gave her a small bow, "Thank you, and I have sworn never to use my powers for evil."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimers - See earlier chapters

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed it helps so much!

* * *

Buffy felt uneasy as she watched the two men in the back yard through the window.

"I think we've dodged the pissing contest," said Dean, trying to calm her.

"Dean's right Buff, they'll be fine," said Xander, reinforcing what had just been said.

"You're probably right," she said, still concerned, before adding in a sarcastic tone, "It's not like either one of them have ever exhibited anything that could cause people to say that they may have some minor violent tendencies."

Xander stood beside her, staring at the same scene; the two men were simply talking.

"See, they're getting on alright," said Xander, "And once they get past the…ah, there it is," he nodded as they watched Giles take off his glasses and wipe them using the corner of his sweater.

"What?" asked Dawn, "What's happening?"

"The polite British version of, 'If you cause any harm to either one of them, or think you have found a new weapon in your little war, I'll make sure they'll never find the body.' "

Sam looked shocked at that statement and looked over at his brother for some reassurance, but Dean was just sitting there quietly nodding.

"What's my Dad doing, exactly?" asked Dean.

"Scratching his chin," said Buffy.

"Got a hand in his pocket?"

She turned to face him, "Yeah?"

"Saying something similar."

She quickly turned, to see what was now happening. The atmosphere between them seemed more relaxed now.

"See," Xander put his arm round her shoulder, "Now they've got the threats out the way, they're fine."

Sam wandered over to the window, "You sure?"

" 'Course," Xander looked at the younger man, and seeing the anxious look on his face, gave him a small smile. "Look dude, don't sweat it; Giles' is just doing his protective watchery thing. I'd be the same if this had happened to one of my girls."

"Yeah I know… wait did you say 'girls'? As in plural?" asked Sam.

Xander chuckled, "Got seven in residence in Cleveland and there are others dotted all over the continent."

Sam just looked at him for a few seconds while trying soak in this new information, "Seven, I know you said there was more than one, but seven?"

"Yep," answered Xander, before seeing Dean's face out of the corner of his eye, "And please Dean, don't start with the harem jokes; trust me, I've heard them all before."

Dean raised his hands in protest, "Hey man, not gonna to say a word."

Buffy just rolled her eyes, "I think I'd best go outside."

As she walked out the door, Dawn turned to follow her, but not before, she shook her head at Dean.

"What?" asked the confused, but slightly affronted, Winchester.

"You were thinking along those lines boy," said Missouri as she followed the rest of them out of the room.

"'Didn't do anything!" said Dean as he turned to Sam, who was now looking amused.

Sam just started to laugh as he looked at his brother, causing Dean's face to fall further.

"Okay, tell me you're alright with this whole slayer thing."

"I'm just trying to roll with it right now," shrugged Sam, and as he walked towards the doorway he could still hear his brother's voice behind him.

"Fine," huffed Dean, "It's just I always thought, you know the stories that Pastor Jim and Bobby use to tell us, when we were kids, weren't real. The way I figured it, they were made up you know, - a nice little fairytale; and a way to keep warm and fuzzy at night when you're alone on a hunt."

As Dean walked out to the back porch, he saw both Dawn and Buffy just looking at him, with Xander smirking behind.

Buffy made a face, "I could go into the whole objectification of women speech, or I could go all post modern and just take what you just said as a kinda sick compliment. But seeing how you are my brother I think I'm just going to stick with – Eewww, with the icky!"

Dean just stood there silently as he realised what he had said.

"If it'd make you feel any better Buffy, you could just introduce them to Faith," said Xander, as he marked up a piece of wood. Buffy whipped round to face him as he continued to work away. Dawn just looked at the two of them, holding back giggles.

"Watch it Harris, you're skating on thin ice as it is."

Dawn bit her lip, "You know if they decide to get to know us, they are going to…"

"No – not happening," Buffy shook her head, "That is so not happening!"

Sam looked confused, "Faith? Who's Faith?"

"None of your business," Buffy said, "Or yours!" as she quickly turned her attention to Dean, "Anyway she's seeing someone."

Dawn shook her head, "No, I think they're going through one of their spells,"

"What? Since when?" Buffy looked at her sister before turning to her friend, "Xander?"

"Don't look at me, I usually switch off when Robin starts about what she's like."

"But they're your drinking buddies! That's what you guys do isn't it, drink and talk?" said Buffy, "Your own little support group with the addition of beer?"

"I suppose it could be described like that, considering on the cost of therapy these days," Xander nodded, "But I have a healthy survival instinct, so I don't ask about their 'current situation'."

At that point, Dawn burst into a fit of giggles.

Buffy just looked at her sister and then to Xander, "I can't believe you … both of you," she huffed, "I just can't talk at you guys right now or I'm going to say something that I'll; I'm just going to …" All of them watched her as she walked back into the house.

Dawn smiled, "We are so going to hell aren't we?"

"Oh yeah, but she makes it so easy sometimes," said Xander with a grin on his face.

"Who's Faith?" asked Missouri.

"Our whirlwind in black leather?" replied Xander, "She's another slayer."

"The only one that Buffy will take any real shit from," added Dawn.

"So they don't get along then," asked the curious little woman.

"Oh no," Xander said shaking his head, "They get along, but it's a long long story; trust each other with their lives, now."

"It's just other things they occasionally butt heads about," explained Dawn.

"Whirlwind in leather?" asked Dean.

"She does have a boyfriend," said Dawn. "They are together at the moment aren't they?" she asked Xander.

"Think so, but as I said I don't ask. I like breathing."

"Fair enough," Dawn nodded.

"Same attitude I have to your sister's love life," stated Xander, "They want me to know, they'll tell me."

He then turned his attention towards Dean, "You said Pastor Jim – You didn't mean Pastor Jim Murphy did you?"

"Yes."

"As in Pastor Jim Murphy from Blue Earth, Minnesota?"

"You knew him?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," replied Xander, "Well no - we never actually met. Swapped some intel – he gave me a heads up on some stuff that was heading my way."

"Jim was a good man," said Missouri.

He saw the reaction on both brothers' faces, Xander just nodded as he spoke softly, "He'll be missed."

* * *

Buffy walked back out to the back porch, and after taking a quick glance over towards the two men talking on the lawn, she started to look around for something.

"Xander, where's your phone?"

"In my jacket pocket, in the hall. Why?"

"The blender's started going off."

"What?" Missouri, as she dashed past Buffy into the kitchen, "I haven't used that thing in days, it isn't even plugged in."

The girl was right the blender seemed to be turning itself on and off at seemingly random periods.

Buffy sighed, "Yeah, I kind of hoped it was just a funky blender till I saw that, so I thought it might be a poltergeist, though I think we can all agree that is something we don't really need right now. But seeing how it's tapping out 'Don't keep me hanging on the telephone' I think we can rule that out, unless we've got a spirit with a thing for Debbie Harry."

Dawn watched the blender for a second, "She wouldn't would she?"

Xander stood there looking at the thing, "I told her not to just pop in and out of our heads."

Buffy and Dawn turned to look at him, causing him to go on the defensive, "Admit it the popping makes you with the startlingness as well!"

Both Buffy and Dawn continued to look at him oddly for a second, to which he just shrugged as he went to fetch his cell phone.

"What's going on?" asked Sam, wandering in after them.

The sisters turned looked at him, and as Xander came back into the kitchen, his attention firmly fixed on his phone, which had started to ring.

"Hi Will, yeah you heard huh, - no I was not ignoring you…. Willow don't be like that, how could we keep you out of the loop…. No, that didn't happen, where did you hear that…really? Oh didn't know that … right, … no just that bit not … she's not stalling…. Will, this is me, I don't know what that means... No they are not poopy heads!" said Xander into the phone.

"Poopy heads?" Sam mouthed to Dawn.

Xander continued to speak into the phone. "Willow you can't say that. … Why? Do I really have to explain… Is that physically possible? Oh it is – right."

"So much for the honeymoon," said Dawn, as Xander wandered back into the hall.

"We don't even know where they are yet," replied her sister.

Xander walked back into the kitchen as he turned off the phone, "They're at the motel."

"Oh great!" Buffy raised her arms to give a half hearted false cheer.

"What?" asked Missouri.

"Willow, the witch we got to invade your home, is at our motel," explained Dawn, "With Kennedy, her other half."

"The grapevines going," said Xander, "Andrew told Vi who told Rona, who told … well you know the drill – so far we have Dru involved, a resurgence of a dormant hell god, and various versions of the first reappearing. Though Cho is supposedly giving quite good odds on a collaboration between renegade ex-initiative agents and D'Hoffryn."

"We have really got to talk to that girl about her little gambling empire," muttered Buffy before continuing, "So Willow is here to find out what's going on?" She rubbed her eyes, "Remember when we had a plan? It was a good plan, a nice and simple plan - we come, we meet, we get know if Sammy's a boy or a girl, leave contact details and see what happens."

Xander just smiled, "Instead we land full force on their doorstep."

"You know it wouldn't be official until they've met all the scoobies," said Dawn.

Sam looked at Buffy for a second, "What do you mean see if I'm a boy or a girl?"

"Eh… Willow wasn't so sure," Buffy smiled, as she tried to explain.

Sam furrowed his brow, confused, "I'm androgynous now?"

"Well, she passed through you, so she didn't actually see you," answered Buffy.

He broke out into a little pleading smile and giving her his best puppy dog eyes, "Please don't tell Dean."

* * *

Dawn walked out to the back porch to get her bag, as she left Xander and Buffy to explain to a confused Missouri what a Scooby was. She had volunteered to go pick up Willow and Kennedy at the motel, as Xander was going to stay and fix the window, and having Buffy drive was not an option. It wasn't as if the council couldn't afford to replace the car, but it wasn't theirs to begin with.

How her sister had gotten her license was beyond her, but since she had gotten her's Dawn had really acted as Buffy's personal chauffeur. She could be happy in the knowledge that there were more than a few people alive and well today, because of the fact that she had kept her sister off the road. Maybe that's what her special gift was, Xander had his whole, "He who sees" thing going on and she was "She who drives".

Dean hadn't really moved, he was still watching Giles and John, who now seemed quite comfortable around each other. She could have sworn that Giles had just cracked a joke causing John to laugh. Well she hoped it was a joke, Giles had way too much dirt on her and her sister.

Hopefully, Giles could kind of mention the little thing about how she was, possibly also a member of the Winchester family, and then she wouldn't have to. Possibly, what the hell was she thinking – possibly? They had made her out of her sister.

In a way it should now be easier for her to explain, it wasn't as if they'd have to really explain the presence of the supernatural to John or the guys, and with Willow here, she could give them a little practical magic demonstration. Though, how a bunch of hunters would take to the idea of a girl that was created magically being one of their own was anyone's guess.

Previously Dawn had been hoping that Missouri or Sam would've picked up something from her and then she'd only have to worry about rejection, but now the idea of them freaking out was taking on some different implications.

"I'm just getting my bag," Dawn said, as she walked out the back porch and past Dean. She saw him pocket a small cylinder as soon as he saw her come outside.

"They still at it?" she asked, thinking it best not to pry.

"Yeah," nodded Dean, as he turned round to give her his full attention, "Blender mystery solved?"

"Willow."

"Your witch friend?"

She nodded, "I'm just going to pick her and Kennedy up, they're at the motel."

"Thought they were on vacation?"

"Honeymoon actually, but Will's worried and the rumour mill going into overdrive."

Dean shrugged, "Must be real worried to break that off."

"Well, you don't know our Willow," she said smiling, "And someone had to come and sort out the stories."

"That bad?"

"Oh you know women and their gossip – everyone's heard. You guys are worldwide phenomena now, she'll want the low-down from the horse's mouth before someone pushes the nuclear meltdown button."

Dean wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that, "World wide?"

"Slayer houses all over have heard the news."

He broke out into a little grin, "Really, should I be nervous?"

"I don't know what the latest take is yet, but I'll let you know. Do you need anything while I'm gone?"

"No I'm good," he said, she turned and started to walk, "Kid?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for asking."

"No problem."

* * *

Missouri felt uncomfortable; well you would to if the normally inanimate household devices you had bought had started to take on minds of their own, especially when you find out that they had help. She didn't like the idea of things coming into her house unannounced; she would have to clean it after this.

She didn't regret letting John and the boys stay, and she knew trouble followed the three of them like a member of the family. However, she didn't expect any of this, and now more people were turning up as well; to be honest it was getting a little crowded.

From what she had felt, the three she had gotten to know were good kids, a little unit all of their own. Just like Winchesters, Buffy and Dawn were like the boys in a number of ways, with their friend Xander there to keep their feet on the ground. The older man, who turned up today, Mr. Giles, watched over them, wanted to keep them safe but knew he could never shelter them from the realities that were out there so prepared them to face it the best he could, just as John did with his sons. Though he did seem much better at letting them make their own decisions When they explained that there was another member of this little group, she wasn't quite sure where this Willow would fit in.

However, she did know that she didn't like the idea of the girl just popping in and out of her home without a 'by your leave', and she definitely didn't like the fact that she was doing it without the rest of her body being attached.

She looked out at her backyard, both men were deep in conversation, they seemed more comfortable round each other than before, though they obviously were still prepared to come out fighting to protect their own little worlds, if need be.

Buffy and Dean were sitting on the back porch, watching the discussion, and drinking lemonade as Xander was sorting out the hole in her wall. Sam at least had stopped pacing, if he'd gone on for much longer he was going to wear a hole through her floor. But if he started again she was going to have serious words with the boy.

It was then she felt it coming towards her, not one but two; yes definitely two. One was like last night in the hospital, the other was a very different power and very balanced at that, like a rope, being pulled taut in many different directions. It was power but it was defined, more sophisticated than what she felt from Buffy, and it was coming towards her.

The doorbell went off, causing her to focus on this plane of reality. She opened the door to find Dawn and two other young women, a brunette and a red head, the source of the forces she felt.

"Hey Missouri, sorry we took so long," apologised Dawn. "This is Kennedy and Willow."

The redhead held out a hand "Hello, nice to meet you,"

The brunette simply nodded hello.

Missouri stood to the side of the door, "Come in."

She felt it as the brunette past, a similar raw power, to the girl now sitting on her porch, though she didn't seem to have it as fully under control as Buffy did. It was the red head that she'd felt before, a fine line was being walked here and from the way the girl held herself she knew it. If this power was used it was as a surgical tool and she held back at that, which if what she had been told was true about her finding them while she was on the other side of the world was definitely worrying.

"So you're the one whose been messing with my electricals," she said to Willow as the three young women stood in here hallway.

"Yes, sorry about that," the red head blushed, "I'll try not to do it again."

Missouri just looked at the girl, she hadn't expected an apology, "Just don't make my kitchen appliances dance again."

"They still at it," asked Dawn.

"Yes, longest conversation I've ever seen John Winchester have."

"So, everyone still outside?"

Xander straightened up as he put the last pin in the outer wall, "Well that's that job almost done."

He turned to see the new arrivals in the doorway, he grinned as he swept her up in a big hug "Willow! Glad you could finally make it."

"You know you guys didn't have to come," said Buffy, as she greeted the brunette.

Kennedy shrugged, "Like I would have any peace if we hadn't."

Dawn nodded, "She's been very Willowy since I picked them up."

"She was pretty calm most of the time, and then Andrew and the girls started calling to ask what was happening, then I had to start trying to scrap her off the wall," said Kennedy, and in a hushed tone, added, "So much so we're going to have a problem getting home."

Xander rested his hands on Willow's shoulders and viewed her at arms length, "Was there any point in you getting a passport?"

"It has lots of stamps in it, lots of them," she said while looking was looking at the floor

"I don't think the ones we made with that potato that night we were drunk really count," stated Dawn, causing not only Buffy, but both Sam and Dean, to look at her. "Please, I'm over 18, where drinking is legal in most parts of the world. Including some of the places I lived over the past couple of years."

"That was my old one," Willow said quietly looking at the floor, she raised her head and then went into full flow, "I was worried. First you say I had to stay and let you do this on your own, even though Xander got to go, then Andrew calls saying Giles is on his way here and with the girls calling and something is attacking with no one knowing why. Then you three don't let me know that things are alright. So damn straight, I'm going haul ass and get over here!"

"Haul ass?" asked a shocked Buffy.

Xander shook his head, "Why Ms Rosenberg? That does not sound like you at all."

Dean turned to his brother, "Did she breathe at all during that?"

Sam shook his head, "I don't think so."

"See you have definitely upset her," stated Kennedy.

"We didn't plan this Ken," said Buffy.

"I know," said the brunette, who narrowed her eyes mischievously, "But you are still so covering."

"I know, I know, I have to take care of things when you two take the make up smoochie break," Buffy sighed, "Why couldn't this have happened when you guys were still lived in Brazil?"

Willow turned her attention to the two men on the porch in front of her, "Is this Dean?"

Dean looked at her before he answered cagily, "Yes."

"So that would make this the wiggy one" asked Kennedy as she peered at Sam.

Willow nodded, "Must be," as she turned her attention to the tall young man standing beside his brother, "Nice to put a face to the name, Sammy."

Buffy shook her head, "He's not wiggy Will."

"He's just really tall, and he prefers Sam." said Dawn.

"Thanks, I think" Sam said, unsure what to say.

Dean continued to look at the girls, "So you are Willow and Kennedy?"

"Yeah why?" asked the newly arrived brunette.

"Nothing," he said, " Just thought that you two got hitched that's all."

"Yes we did," answered the red head. "You got a problem with that?" asked Kennedy in a confrontational tone, causing Buffy to snort her amusement.

"No," Dean replied, "Never can be enough love in my opinion!"

Sam just looked away for a second shaking his head at his brother's response.

"It's just when they said Kennedy, thought you were a guy," explained Dean.

"I don't sound manly do I?" the affronted slayer asked, "It's my name isn't it?"

"No sweetie you're not manly," Willow put her arm round her partner, "And I love your name. Anyway I suppose it makes us even, we did think Sammy was a girl."

Sam hung his head in resignation as the grin spread across his brother's face.

"Really," said Dean, smiling, "Got you pegged already, eh Samantha."

"It's Sam," he said through gritted teeth as his brother continued to smile.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer : Please see earlier chapters

Sorry this has taken so long to post the next chapter but I had major problems wirting this part - well that isn't exactly true I'd write and then ask myself 'where has the plot gone?' But I hope you are OK with this. If not (especially the second half) please let me know - I love to get reviews even if it is constructive criticism.

Thank you to those who have let me know what they think - as I have said it makes my day.

* * *

"So what have we missed?" asked Dawn.

"There has been some jotting, but that's it really," said Xander.

Dawn looked at her sister hopefully, "So no fireworks then?"

Xander just shook his head, "'Fraid not Dawn Patrol."

"You sure?" she said slightly disappointed.

Xander shook his head, "He's still standing. So I think it's safe to assume nothing in that vicinity has been spilt."

Buffy reached up and swept a piece of hair out of her sister's face "Did you ask him to?"

"No, but I was kinda hoping he would," answered the slightly dejected Dawn.

"You know what he's like," said Buffy, sympathetically. "He won't unless you ask, but you know he'll say, that we should be the ones to do it."

"Excuse me?" asked Sam.

Both sisters turned to look at him.

"Ehm – I don't, I think," spluttered Dawn.

"I hope you like lemonade," said Missouri as she came out of the kitchen with a tray with glasses and snacks.

Dawn was glad for the interruption, as she took a glass from the little woman. Both brothers looked at her, while she took a mouthful of liquid.

"Right I've just got to get a board up, and you'll be all ready for the glass tomorrow," said Xander; "Then I'm all yours."

Missouri nodded, "I've just got a few things to get together and then we can get started."

"Your wish is my command," replied Xander, saluting the older woman.

Willow looked at Xander curiously.

"She's going to do some housework that involves me dry walling."

"You know after all the comings and goings," said Buffy.

"Is she going to clean her house?" asked the Wiccan. "Can I watch?"

Dean looked at the girl, "Why would you want to do that?"

As Dawn was about to take another sip from her glass, she said quietly, "They're off."

"Always good to swap techniques," answered Willow, "May I ask what you use?"

Missouri stood in the doorway of the house, "Roots and some other things."

"Angelica root?"

Missouri nodded, "Yes."

"A variation on a hoodoo ritual - right?" asked the practically bouncing Willow; "How do you choose your crossroad dirt?"

"It kind of lets itself known," answered Missouri.

"Really?" Willow smiled, "Can I see?"

"You sure about that Missouri?" asked Dean, looking as if he was about to rise from his chair.

"And we're halfway down the inside straight," muttered Xander under his breath.

"It's fine honey," Missouri answered trying to reassure him, that boy was a hunter to the last she thought, even when the odds were stacked against him, "I just don't think I've met someone who is so interested."

"Oh I'm just a student, and Hoodoo is a fascinating subject," Willow nodded, as she tried to calm the young hunter she had just met obvious concerns. "You see a lot of cleansing rituals are based on invoking gods or mystical beings to protect or cleanse a being or a home. Hoodoo has a more African based philosophy; it's based more on folk traditions and various root magicks, there is no real clear set theology. Any invocations made tend to be to ancestors or spirits linked to the area or family, and it usually utilises herbs, roots, minerals and animal parts. Some say that the version found here in the US is a watered down version of Voodoo, crossed with other African magical principles, due to the suppression of slave beliefs. I'm not so sure of that, due to the similarities between what's found here and some of the magicks practiced in West Africa, though there are differences as well. I think that maybe due to it being passed down family lines, rather than having a structured hierarchies. But I'm not an expert in these areas really."

Willow quieted for a second before tilting her head to the side, "So I suppose you could say that the type found here and similar magicks of Africa are like 2 types of bunt cake. Both are the same but different, one you made from a recipe book and the other is your great grandmother's. Though it's not really your great grandmother's because that would really make it old, flaky and not safe to eat, but you catch my drift."

Dean just stared at her, "Huh?"

"And I believe people we have a winner," smiled Buffy. "Less than fifteen minutes and she's got to him. I take all denominations people."

As both Xander and Dawn handed Buffy what they owed, Sam put his hand in his pocket to causing his brother to look at him.

"Thanks man," said Dean caustically, "Feeling the love here." To which Sam just shrugged.

"Don't be too hard on him, he gave you a full hour before she got to you," smiled Buffy, to which Dean knotted his brow.

"You guys bet that I'd confuse him," said Willow, slightly hurt at her friends' actions, "That's so mean."

"Sorry Will," answered Buffy, "But you know I've got to put Dawnie through school, so Sam fork it please."

"Excuse me?" asked Dawn. "Who's paying for whom to go to college? Council sponsorship here, and I'm still working."

"Yeah but I'm contributing to the board," said Buffy, "And whose paying for the new car?"

"Who exactly does your translating sis?" replied Dawn sarcastically before adding, "Also, do we want to tell people why I need a new car?"

"That's not the point," answered Buffy quickly before changing the subject, "Who rescues you when you almost get sacrificed?"

"Depends who's around," Dawn said with a dignified air. "Anyway that's not happened in five months."

"Six," said Willow, "You haven't been kidnapped in six months."

"That long?" Dawn sat down on the steps, "I know I use to complain, but I didn't realise it was that long since... I suppose if I'm honest I kind of miss it. It did fill up my week."

"You used to get kidnapped a lot and now you miss it?" asked Sam curious.

She snorted, "And your life is so normal."

"She's got you there shining boy," said Dean.

"Shining?" asked Kennedy, before she caught Buffy shaking her head out of the corner of her eye, telling her to leave that subject alone.

"Right, you wanted to see what I use," said Missouri, to which Willow nodded.

As Willow followed Missouri into the house Xander turned to the slayers in front of him, "You think leaving them alone is a good idea?"

"She's your friend," said Dean, "If you're worried you shouldn't have let her go in there in the first place."

"Willow's just interested, that's all," said Buffy defending the witch. "You have real trust issues. You know that?"

"Must be genetic," mumbled Kennedy to which Buffy, Dean, Sam and Dawn to looked at her.

Kennedy stood up and gave a little cough before making a start towards the door, "I'll go make sure that Will's behaving herself."

"No, it's just knowing Willow; she's feeling a little bit guilty about all of this," said Buffy explaining the situation to both Dean and Sam. "Probably thinks that locator spell we used made it easier for them to find you guys. So she may try and help with the cleaning."

"The worst thing that will happen is that this will be one very spirit, and demonic free block," continued Buffy.

"That or Missouri might lose her roof," added Xander.

"It only happened once and she was closing a portal," Buffy turned to Xander, "That if I remember correctly you opened."

"My bad really!" Dawn raised her hand in the air, "Forgot the cardinal rule, never hand Xander any material that needs to be read out loud."

Xander looked puzzled before asking Dawn, "Thought we decided that the cardinal rule was never let your sister drive."

"You have a rule for that?" asked Dean.

"Hope you never ever have to find out why," said Dawn, "And that's rule number three."

"I am not that bad!" Buffy huffed, "I did get my licence."

"Tell that to that tree last week," mocked Dawn, "Buffy I love you, but when even the undead refuse get into a car when you're driving, you have to admit you have a problem."

Dean shook his head, "Don't like the sound of that, can't have a member of my family not being able to handle themselves behind the wheel."

"Are you offering to teach her?" Xander chuckled, "I think I'd pay to see that."

"Isn't the Xander rule is rule six?" asked Buffy, trying to change the subject.

"So what is rule number one?" asked Dawn.

"Come back alive?" offered Sam helpfully.

"No that is the overriding ultimate rule as well as rules two, four and seven," said Buffy, "Wait rule number one is not to hurt the books in front of Giles,"

Xander nodded knowingly, "He cries."

"He doesn't cry," Dawn corrected him; "He just whimpers a bit and he gets this panicked look in his eyes, especially when you bring in take out into the library."

"I said I was sorry about the burritos," said Xander, before turning to Sam and Dean "You have no idea how hard it is to get decent Mexican takeout in London."

"You really do have libraries and things don't you?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," answered Dawn.

Dean smirked at his brother, "You'll be right at home then, geekboy."

Sam turned from his brother to Buffy, "You want to see real fear just drop him in one and tell him to find something himself."

"You say that like I can't read or something," responded Dean.

Sam continued, "He's fine as long as they have pictures."

"I usually find what we need," Dean said resolutely, "Anyway I'm the people person, you're the geek."

Sam nodded, "As long it's a cute nurse, waitress or policewoman you have to talk to."

"I like to think of it of playing to our strengths," Dean stated sincerely.

"Cause that works like a charm, especially when the girl from the night before is her sister,"

Dean sat silent for a second staring at his brother, "You will never shut up about that, will you girlie boy"

"Bite me," answered his brother.

Sam laughed as the three others turned to him in interest, "Black dog wasn't it?"

Dean sat there shaking his head; he was not getting involved in this, "It was over six years ago dude. Can't you let it rest?"

Sam ignored his brother and continued to entertain his audience, "He hits on this girl in this bar. Turns out she knows one of the kids that have gone missing. So he sees her a few more times while were in town 'just for research purposes.'"

"You always make it sound worse than there was," huffed Dean, "You were just jealous that you couldn't get a girl like her to look at you back then."

"Dad was getting no where with the cops," continued Sam ignoring his brother's interruption, "So Don Juan here hits on the idea of going through this female deputy."

"She had a name," pouted Dean.

"Yeah Darlene, right?" asked Sam before he went on, "So we get the thing, we're about to leave, but he says he'll meet me and Dad in a couple of days just to make sure that everything is OK."

Dean cut in, "He was bitching about not wanting to change school and someone had to make sure that there was only one."

"Yeah wel,l real reason he stayed was he was getting somewhere with Darlene, and they decide to go back to her place and low and behold."

"Same place as the other girl?" asked Buffy stifling a giggle.

"Oh yeah!" said Sam, "Turns out little…"

"I think her name was Tammi," added Dean, as he buried his head in his hands.

"Little Tammi had just graduated High School couple of months before hand and was at that bar as a dare from her friends. Darlene her older sister, was a little protective of her since it was just them."

"So?" asked Dawn, "What happened?"

Sam swallowed to control his laughter, "Dad gets a call from our friend Caleb saying someone had turned up at his place with buckshot in his…"

"It was the car door right!" Dean shot up straight in his chair, "And you only tell that story so I don't tell anyone how that was around the same time you got your ass kicked by that skunk."

"I did not get my ass kicked," Sam said defending himself.

"Yeah you did," said Dean, "Big shot here wants to show that he's capable of bagging the thing all by himself."

"Sounds so younger sibling," said Buffy

"You make it sound as if I was trying to be John Wayne," interrupted Sam.

"Julie Andrews maybe," replied Dean blithely, "We're in the woods, turn round and he's disappeared."

"So you automatically go into panic mode?" sympathised Buffy quickly glancing down at her sister, "I can so sympathise!"

"Then we hear this scream."

"I did not scream!" said Sam cutting in.

"Oh you so did man; a really high pitched girl like, scream," stated Dean, "Turns out that there's this cave and this jerk here decided it a good idea to check it out without telling anyone, thinking that it could be its lair."

"It fit the pattern," Sam ran his hand through his hair; "Yeah; I know it was stupid to go in by myself."

"Real stupid," Dean continued, before turning to face Buffy, "He thinks he's heard something in there and that he's got a shot. Turns out there was a little family staying there and momma skunk ain't too happy about their visitor."

"Had to go back to the motel in the back of dad's pickup," said Sam quietly.

"Well no way in hell, were you getting in the cab," Dean smirked.

Dawn looked up at her sister, "Small and furries are tricky, eh Buffy."

Buffy knotted her brow, "Oh please – poodles are evil."

"That old lady didn't think so," said Dawn shaking her head.

"I am definitely convinced that she had something to do with it, the old witch," huffed Buffy.

"You're just luck she didn't press charges. Little foofoo wasn't the same after what happened," teased Dawn.

"What happened?" asked Sam.

"It was nothing really," protested Buffy, to which both of the brothers just gave her a knowing look, "It was a hellhound; I'd tracked it for hours – in the pouring rain may I add."

"Very important point," added Dawn.

"So it goes under this bridge, the light is real bad, and I hear howling," explained Buffy, "I'm thinking great – its gone and got itself a mate so I let fly with my axe, hear a yelp and go in for a quick follow through…"

Dawn started chuckling, so Buffy tapped her sister in the back with her shoe to get her to stop.

"At this point I find that there is no hound but there is a little toy poodle pinned to the ground by my axe, scrambling away for all its worth and this old lady looking about she's going have a heart attack. Turns out the bridge had made it all echoy and made the poodle sound bigger than it actually was."

Both Sam and Dean burst out laughing to which Buffy bit her lip, and then started to snigger herself.

* * *

Missouri came back out of the house quite animated and bounded over to the grass.

"Sam, honey can you come over here for a second?" she said, causing Sam to look at his brother for a second.

"Sure?" he said slightly confused.

As he stepped towards her, Missouri let out a yell, "Now!"

The windows began to rattle and a blast of light was emitted from the house, causing both Missouri and Sam to be knocked off their feet. It also caused the board that Xander was putting in place to come loose and hit him in the head.

"WILLOW!"

She stuck her head around the doorjamb, "Everyone okay?"

"No, everyone is not okay. Couldn't you have waited five minutes," said Xander, holding his head in pain.

Missouri got back on her feet, and turned to look down at Sam who looked startled; she turned to the witch and gave her a thumbs up.

"We're fine – that was a rush child!" Missouri laughed.

John ran over to his fallen son, "Sam you alright?"

Sam blinked for a seconds, before trying to get back on his feet, "Yeah. What?"

"House clearance I think?" said Giles as he saw the young woman in the doorway, "Hello Willow."

Willow skipped over to the little group followed by Kennedy.

"Hi Giles," Willow stretched up to give the Englishman a warm hug.

"Willow, while it is good to see you, you know shouldn't be here," he said smiling, before turning his attention to the other girl, "Hello Kennedy."

"Distracted her as long as I could," said the other girl.

"Yes, um, of course," Giles blushed slightly, "I suppose we ought to be grateful that the house is still intact."

Both girls turned to face John who was currently checking that his son was alright.

"So this the Dad?" asked Kennedy.

John turned round to see the two young women looking at him, he felt slightly uncomfortable under their gaze.

"Hello," he said.

The brunette smiled, "Cool."

"I'm Willow, this is Kennedy," the red head said.

"I'm John."

"We guessed that," Kennedy nodded in Sam's direction, "He doing okay?"

"I'm fine, I think," said Sam rubbing his head, "What happened?"

"The girl helped out with cleansing that's all," explained Missouri, "We added a couple of extras my usual mix."

Sam blinked, "And I'm on the ground because?"

Willow cocked her head as she explained, "People of a certain disposition, may feel the effects more than others."

Sam looked over to the others on the porch all of which appeared to be fine, apart from Xander appeared to be grumbling as Buffy was checking out his head.

Sam turned to Missouri, "So you, me and Xander?"

"No child, he just got hit in the head by a piece of wood."

"Never know, might knock some sense into him," added Kennedy jokingly.

Giles shook his head, "I doubt it. Why should this be any different from any of the multitude of other times?"

Kennedy turned to the Brit, "So are we keeping?"

Giles sighed, "That is not my decision."

"I'm open to it though, if they are," said Buffy, as the others helped Sam back to the porch, "You never know could make our dull little lives a little more interesting."

"So you two finished the big conflab?" asked Dawn to the older men as she walked out of the house with a cold towel for Xander's head.

"For now," stated Giles.

"So?" she asked eyes hopeful, he looked at her and other girls and guessed what she was asking.

"No Dawn."

"So what have you been talking about?" asked the girl, "I've been to peace negotiations that haven't taken that long."

"We have been discussing your sister's position and what to do about Sam actually."

"You talked through all the options then?" asked Buffy.

"Got to straighten things out, but some of your friend's ideas seem sound," said a resolute John.

Giles nodded, "We need to talk to some certain individuals, but we may have found a course of action that is beneficial to all."

"Really?" asked Willow.

"Wait a minute, decided what about me?" asked Sam.

"Is that all?" Buffy asked the two older men, hand on her hip.

Giles looked at his charge, "Buffy?"

"Oh come Watcher of mine, you're letting down your audience here," she explained.

"I don't know what you really expected?"

"Oh you know the usual," Buffy looked up at him with hope in her eyes. "We all describe what's the what, causing you go quiet. Then you do that wonky eyed thing you do, then announce that it sounds like?" Buffy waved her arms in the air in frustration as she harangued her watcher. "Oh I don't know, something I can't pronounce last seen in 1803 in a small town in Outer Mongolia chewing on a goat."

"Why 1803 and why a goat?" asked a confused Dean, to which the blonde slayer just shrugged.

"I'm sorry. But unfortunately I can't really say that I've heard of anything with this M.O. before," said Giles, "and I do not go all 'wonky eyed'."

Buffy just looked at her watcher sheepishly for a second, as Giles continued, "Though I do agree with your assumption John, that whatever this demon's plan is it is playing a long game."

"Oh," Buffy pouted, "And I was so hoping to find this thing quickly so I can inflict some real damage on this thing before killing it. Preferably in really painful way, possibly having gory being involved. Yep lots of gory, with possibly a little gristle on the side, I'm thinking."

"This in a sending a message kind of way?" asked Willow.

"Definitely, not like it's a new one," stated Buffy. "Just the usual attack my family, I rip you head off, and your arm, and any other extremity that you are stupid enough to put in my way."

"Glad to see those anger management classes are working for you Buff," added Xander.

John looked at his daughter; she had said family, meaning that she was not only upset that it attacked Dawn. She had claimed the three of them, and wasn't about to stand by and let anything hurt them. But, he was the one that was meant to be protecting her. As Dean would put it, it was in the job description. A Dad's job was to help their sons grow up so they were able to fight their own battles, but weren't they always meant to look after their little girls?

His mouth went dry as his heart jumped into his throat, this was a really screwed up situation, and in no way what he was expecting, he'd been through some really weird shit over the years. But this? It left him completely unsure of what to say or do.

"I've been looking for it for over twenty years," John answered, "It seemed it went under ground, and now it's woken up."

"Right, so with the timing of all of this, and you guys turning up here? What exactly does this mean?" asked Dean.

Both Giles and John looked at him silently.

"You all get more cards at Christmas," Xander spoke with all seriousness, then winced as Dawn knocked him on the noggin.

Dawn repositioned the cool towel she had placed on his head, "Sorry did that hurt?"

"I think we may have a better idea of how to proceed, when we know what its interests are," said Giles.

"That would be me," said Sam sounding slightly irritated.

"What about him?" asked Buffy turning to John.

Both John and Giles looked at her, before John explained, "He gets visions. Sees things that are going to happen."

"It appears ,Buffy, that your half brother is developing into a seer and an accurate one at that."

"Oh great, so he'll be highly prized then," Kennedy looked at the older men, "So you think that this demon you guys have been looking for is just after him as for future merchandise to sell or is it a world domination type?"

"Kennedy, stop it now," said Buffy firmly, "You are not helping."

"So we can help you find out exactly what he can really do, and if you want, maybe help out with someone who can help teach him to use it to defend himself. Then if you want, you can take it from there; unless you have anymore info that you want share?" Buffy said to John, before adding. "But if you guys need anything, and I mean anything you call, agreed?"

John nodded to acknowledge what she said. Buffy turned to get the input of the newly arrived witch, "Willow?"

"Hey people," said Dean interrupting, as Willow's head shot up to answer Buffy, "No-one is deciding jack about Sammy, except him you got it."

They all looked round at the young man. Sam had fire in his eyes, he was in no mood to back down or let anyone railroad him. He swallowed, his blood was rising, he may have found himself on his ass five minutes ago, but that was no reason for him to be talked about as if he wasn't there, especially as he had just met half of these people.

"Sam, we were going over options," John controlled his tone.

Sam drew himself up to his full height preparing to go head to head against the one target he knew how to fight, "Options, what options? They wouldn't all happen to do with me would they Dad?"

John took a breath, "Look Sam."

Sam shook his head, "No Dad, this is the same bullshit you pull every single time."

"Sam, you seem to be displaying a number of 'talents'. All of which are untapped and untrained, for which you have already have been targeted." Giles explained calmly as he stepped in. "This, your lifestyle, coupled with the fact that you are now connected with the slayer line may have already brought you to the attention of others."

"So instead of having one demon on his ass he gets more?" asked Dean.

"Yep," said Buffy, looking Dean straight in the eye.

"Ain't that wonderful," answered Dean sarcastically.

"And I don't get to say in what happens to me," asked a very agitated Sam.

"Of course you do," stated Buffy, "But don't you want to know what it wants you for? If anything, you learning what you can really do could draw it out, give you an edge when you find it. The better you know yourself the better prepared you are."

"Then what?" asked Sam.

"How do I know?" she replied, "It's you that sees the future."

* * *

As the discussion continued, Sam stood his ground wanting to know what exactly the two men had been talking about, and how it pertained to him. Dawn took the towel from Xander's head and began to go into the kitchen to run some cold water on it.

Dean took it from her hand, "I'll get you some ice."

"Sure," Dawn nodded, uneasy about the way he was withdrawing from the conversation.

It was taking too long for him to come back, so she wandered in after him.

"Dean? You alright?" she asked as she walked around the refrigerator door that had been previously blocking her view. He was standing there, breathing shallowly taking his time, small cylinder in his hand.

"I'm fine," he said, "just give me a second."

"Yeah," Dawn took a step back, trying to catch someone's eye.

"You know it isn't really that bad, small bump that's all, we've all had much worse," Xander gently patted the back of his head as he went into the kitchen. Dawn gave him a nod towards the refrigerator. He looked round the door to see the same scene that had greeted Dawn, "What the …?"

"Leave me alone," protested Dean, "I'm alright"

"Yeah, I know it's 'just' a flesh wound," said Xander, as he bundled the other man into the reading room.

Dawn followed behind the two of them, "Y'know, they don't hand out nitrate sprays if you're perfectly fine. They hand them out if you've got heart conditions."

"Doc said to use it for a couple of days," Dean argued as he was unceremoniously dumped in one of the armchairs, "Just need sometime to heal up, doc just covering his ass, that's all."

"I've heard better tough guy acts from fourteen year olds," Xander sat down on the coffee table in front of him, "-and that's just the girls."

"Got to get back out there, Sam…," Dean tried to get up, to which Xander put his hand on his shoulder.

"-Can hold his own," answered the watcher, taking control of the situation, "What did the doctor really say, and not the bull you told your brother and your Dad?"

"Not much he could say, didn't understand the change in my condition," answered Dean his breathing eased slightly, "Possible arrhythmia he said, couldn't tell him that I'd almost had my insides ripped out by creatures from hell again could I?"

Dawn nodded in agreement, as she stood in the doorway.

"Can relate," Xander pointed to his eye socket, "Head minion imbued with power, decided to play."

"'I'll be fine," he tried to rise out of the chair again, "but right now I've got to get back out there."

"Dean please sit down," said Dawn, "Or I'll make you stay down."

"Let the chosen, destined, and the figures of authority sort themselves out right now mister," Xander looked at him sympathetically, "Us mere mortals got to take care of ourselves sometimes."

Dean bit his lip, he really wanted to know what was going on outside, but they weren't going to let him go, and he wasn't really able to get past them right now. He started to breathe a little harder, causing Dawn to glance at Xander before taking off out the door.

"What's her beef?" Dean asked, "Know I'm irresistible but-"

"You do not go anywhere in vicinity of that direction you hear me!" Xander said firmly, eye cold, "The same goes for your brother."

"Sorry man, just saying she'd be a little too close to home."

"Closer than you think," Xander backing down, "She's just likes the idea of there being another one like us around."

"Another one of what?" Dean asked leaning forward his breathing eased.

"Another person who knows how hard it is not to be chosen. Whose destiny doesn't seem to involve being dumped with a whole load of 'special gifts' from the powers so they can go out and save the world on a daily basis," answered Xander.

"Don't that make me special," Dean said sarcastically.

"In our line of work, and to her, it kind of does," Xander shook his head. "You're kinda like me and Dawnie; we do this out of choice. 'Cause the people we care about are involved, not because we have too. True, we've all lost people, but we never really stayed on this road just because we did. I know your mom got killed, but you're really in this for Sam and your Dad. That and I'm guessing your ego gets a kick from the swooping in and saving people thing. But at the end of the day if you think about it; it's you that can walk, not the other two; even though they and you probably don't want to see it."

Dawn returned to reading room with Willow, "He said the Doctor told him it was an arrhythmia."

"I don't know Dawn," Willow said, "I'm not a healer."

Dean shrank back in his seat as the witch came towards him.

"Don't be such a baby," Willow tutted, "Let me see."

"How bad is it?" asked Buffy as she walked into the room.

Willow placed her hand on Dean's chest after scooting Xander off the coffee table, and closed her eyes for a few seconds, "His energies are flowing in the right directions, it's just slow at the moment, so I don't think it's too bad."

Willow moved her hand, with a questioning look in her eyes, "It's not the first time you have gone through something like this is it?"

"Before the wreck," Dean volunteered, "It was stopped before it could finish the job."

Dawn looked to her sister and then Willow.

"Right," Buffy stood there arms folded across her chest, "Can you go get John and Sam."

"Just promise me you two won't start anything," Xander asked, as he started towards the door.

* * *

As he leaned on the kitchen doorjamb, Xander could see that both Sam and John were still hard at it. Giles, Missouri and Kennedy just standing there being unwilling spectators to two people with obvious side issues. They hadn't seemed to even notice that people had disappeared.

"Hey," Xander yelled, "Hate to interrupt the love feast here, but thought you'd like to know, Dean - kind of out of it in here."

"What?" John spun round.

"Yeah, thing turns out something up with his heart," said Xander, "He just didn't want to disturb you guys, funny that."

"What do you mean?" asked Sam concerned.

"He's having some breathing issues," Xander crossed his arms, "Should be okay given some time and a stress free environment, which he is getting spades round here at the moment."

"Where's Buffy and Willow?" asked Giles, slightly agitated.

"With him and Dawn now. Don't worry I told them not to do anything."

"You left them alone?" Giles pushed past Xander into the house.

Dawn stood guard at the entrance of the reading room, "Look, nothing major just a little energy transfer, okay."

Giles continued down the corridor, "Dawn, move now!"

* * *

Buffy blinked, as the room started to focus she could see faces, one had a pair of glasses and greying hair the other had masses of brown waves rolling down. The first definitely looked pissed but the second had a little smile on her face,

"Did it work?" Buffy asked.

Dawn looked over her shoulder, both Willow and Dean appeared to be coming round, the colour in his cheeks was returning, "Think we're good."

Giles helped Buffy sit up, "That was bloody stupid! The three of you could have been in real trouble."

Buffy shook her head, "Little jolt that's all, get his healing started."

John raised his oldest son's head; Sam stood back watching Dean's every movement.

"I'm okay Dad," Dean was breathing much easier than before, he smiled, "Think I'm good. Are they okay?"

Dean looked over his father's shoulder at Buffy and Willow, to see Buffy sitting up, "You alright?"

Buffy nodded.

"You sure?" he asked, hoping for confirmation, his eyes full of concern for her, as well as the gratitude he couldn't express.

Buffy smiled as she stretched slightly, "Yep, and don't mention it."

A wide-eyed Willow grinned up at Xander, and Kennedy, as she let out a little giggle, "I feel fuzzy!"


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer - Please see previous chapters.

Special thanks to Softly for all her help with all the previous stuff. Hope you are taking care of yourself at the moment.

Please R & R – I'm begging you here! OK that was pitiful, but I really do like people telling me what they think. So thanks to all of you who have!

A/N - Jenny, Sari and Richie are from SPN episode Home, just like Missouri, just in case you didn't know.

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Missouri rung her hands as she entered her front room that doubled as her place of business, "His Doctor can see him today."

"Missouri, I'm Okay" said Dean as he sat in the armchair.

"Sam you make sure your brother sees the Doctor," said John firmly to both his sons.

"Yes sir," said Sam as he handed his brother a glass of water.

Dean took a sip before looking up at his brother; "Is this holy water Sam?" to which Sam just gave him at reassuring look.

Dean shook his head, "I'm not possessed you moron."

"When have you ever called me a moron?" asked an unsure Sam. "Do you even now what that really means?"

"What the hell went on here?" asked John.

"Transfer of energy, from Buffy to your son, Willow as a conduit," explained Giles, before turning to Buffy who was regaining her composure, "It was a bloody stupid and dangerous thing to do."

"I'm fine, Dean's fine and Willow is?"

"Currently on the third round of "I'm a little teapot" so I'd say she's just the right side of tipsy at the moment," said Xander, as he leant against the doorjamb after coming back in the house from the garden; where Kennedy was currently walking her hyped up partner round the back lawn. "Feedback didn't hit her too bad, by the way Missouri, you may have some interestingly coloured plants for a few days."

"She's tipsy?" asked Dean.

"Oh yeah, if she was really drunk on the power we'd be hearing all about what a certain young man from Nantucket got up to." Xander joked, his voice trying not to give away how close the witch came sometimes, "She may seem like a quiet one, but our Will, hell of a fruity imagination."

"Right, I'm confused. What happened exactly?" Sam asked.

"Dean was injured. So she, as in Buffy, gave some of her energy to help him." Xander explained.

"Energy, you mean life energy?" Sam did a quick double take from his sister to his brother, "Are they going to be okay?"

"I'm fine; slayers have more energy than normal people. His body just took what it needed; it's just that Willow got whammed with the feedback. There shouldn't be any side effects." Buffy said, as Dawn walked back into the room with a tire iron.

Dean swallowed, "Side effects?"

"Won't be anything major, but if you start asking the question "does my butt look big in this?", craving large amounts of chocolate once a month and finding yourself watching the Bridget Jones movies and actually enjoying them, you can probably put it down to this," Xander smiled sympathetically at the silent hunter on the other side of the room.

"Xander; shut up," said the obviously annoyed Giles. "As Buffy said, your body just took what it needed, there will be no side effects, you are still you; end of story."

"Right I get the picture, you're not happy, don't suppose it would help if I said sorry?" Buffy asked her watcher putting on a forced innocent expression.

"It's done now. Nothing I can say can change that." Giles shook his head as he knelt beside her, "Dawn can you pass that here?"

Dawn silently handed over the tire iron she had gotten from the back of the car, "It's the best I could find."

"Do we have to do this now?" Buffy asked, as all faces watched her as she took the piece of metal from her sister's hand.

"Don't mind us," said a curious Sam.

"Jeez! No pressure at all," said the girl with the tyre iron in her hand. "Isn't this from the rental?"

"Yeah, but if you can only bend it, we'll get Kennedy to fix it," stated Dawn calmly.

"Yeah right," Sam said sceptically, before blushing a little, he hadn't meant to say that out loud. Buffy's lip curled at side into a definite smirk and as she looked him in the face, she manipulated the piece of metal in her hands.

"Makes you feel all manly don't it?" Xander said, slapping the younger man on the back, "But she still asks for help to get into the peanut butter."

"You're off slightly. Not too much though," said Giles, examining her handiwork, "You were damn lucky. Can you straighten it?"

"Sure," Buffy took a second and returned the bar back to its original shape, as all three Winchester men looked on, "Feel a little icky, but a couple of hours sleep and I'll be good."

"Dean, you've got that doctor to get too," John said, still watching the girl sitting in the seat across from him, "Sam, make sure he gets there."

Both boys could see the cogs going in their father's mind, "Dad?" asked Dean.

John didn't turn his head, "Dean you need to be checked out."

Xander turned to Dawn, "Do you want to go with them, just in case there are any awkward questions?"

Dawn nodded, "Sure, Xan."

--------------------------------------------------

Both Buffy and John looked silently for a few seconds, as the others seemed to make themselves scarce.

John sat down, leaning forward, "Alright, what exactly can you guys really do?"

"Seeing it freaked you didn't it?" Buffy smiled.

John didn't really want to say what he was really thinking at this point, "You could say that."

"It's just as me and Giles said, my major things are enhanced speed, strength and my senses are heightened. I get these dreams, I suppose you can kinda say there like Sam's, but less clear sometimes the past sometimes the future."

He nodded, "Right, and that with Dean?"

"Well seeing how he was hiding it from you, I'm guessing he isn't the type to take things easy, is he?"

"No he ain't, but if your watcher ain't too happy about this I'm guessing that little trick of yours could have gone badly wrong." John tried to sound reasonable, though somewhere in the back of his mind something was screaming, 'You saw the how high the witch was - you could have lost both of them, you could have lost both of them!'

"Yeah, well Giles he's… – it was a calculated risk," she said, "You and Sam usually act alike?"

"We butt heads occasionally."

She raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't look occasional to me."

"He's too much like me in some ways."

Buffy nodded, "Thought so. Does Dean have to separate you guys a lot?"

"Not lately."

"Well I've kind of noticed over the years that a lot of men don't like it when women who barely reach up to their armpits stop them from throwing punches. Something about injuring their pride – personally I don't see why. But, if Dean has the experience in dealing with the two of you, let him. That means he needs to fit enough for the job. I'm sorry to have to lump him with the two of you, but I'm kinda busy with other things, you know the watching out for the end of the world stuff. I don't really have the time to get too bogged down in family melodrama."

John took in what she was saying, "Never thought I'd hear it called that."

"Well I don't think you'd get a full hour out of the John and Sam Winchester show, but a half hour weekly slot that you maybe able to manage."

"Don't think it'd fill that." John smiled, "Don't do anything like that again right."

"What use magic?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he answered, using the same voice he used for his sons whenever he was trying to make a point.

She moved forward in her chair, "Thanks for the concern, but I do what I have to. Always have."

As Missouri led Xander, who was carrying a less hyped Wiccan up the stairs to one of the bedrooms so Willow could get some rest, Kennedy poked her head round the doorframe, "Buffy? She's asking for you."

"Tell her I'll be right there," Buffy got up to leave the room, slightly unsteady on her legs, she turned to John who was still sitting down, "By the way, that tone might work on the guys, but don't try it with me. There are only two people who could ever get away with talking to me like that, my Mom's gone and the other – well Giles isn't stupid enough to try it."

As Buffy left the room to check on Willow, John found himself being handed a beer, "You look like you need this."

As the hunter took the bottle out of the Englishman's hand, "Could really do with something stronger."

"She has that effect on people sometimes," Giles said, "But you seem to be handling it remarkably well."

"What I finding out that I that I have one more kid than I thought I had, and she's some sort of mythical super solider?"

"Yes," Giles chuckled trying to lighten the mood, "Good thing is that she seems to like you, both her and Dawn do."

"I don't even want to think about what she'd do if she didn't." John joked, as he rubbed his hand over his face.

"You would have already found that out."

John looked at the other man, "They do seem to come as a package deal."

"Yes they are." Giles nodded, "Are you willing to accept that?"

"Do I have choice?"

Giles didn't answer.

"What about their Dad?"

Giles took a second, "Hank Summer's stopped being their father a long time ago."

John could sense Giles anger on the subject.

"Right, and you stepped in."

"I'm Buffy's watcher that has to be my primary role."

John gave Giles a wry smile, "You love them like your own don't you, even the one eyed goofball?"

Giles didn't answer John's question, "Even if you do become part of Buffy's life, if it ever comes down to choice between you and Dawn you know what her answer will be."

John looked at the other man, "And you think I'd do that to her?"

"Depends on the situation, doesn't it." Giles replied.

John sighed, "Jesus, sometimes I just pray that I'm gonna wake up and Dean four again, Sammy's in his crib, I still work in a garage, and none the past 20 odd years had ever happened."

"Your sons are fine young men. You did well. Though I am probably right in assuming you had to sacrifice much to ensure their survival," Giles stated, "Buffy's the same way sometimes, with regard to wishing this was all a dream. At fifteen she went from a cheerleader whose biggest concern was how to get to the mall, to being responsible for protection of humanity."

"It's a hell of a lot to put in the hands of a kid."

"I never agreed with the system, unfortunately, I don't have the power to change it. But I'd die to protect any of them." Giles said glancing upstairs, "Just as you would."

"Then I'm right in guessing that you'd be willing to do more than that." John replied, causing an unspoken understanding to pass between the two men.

Giles took a mouthful of liquid from the glass he poured his drink into, "I never could take to American beers; a lot weaker than those at home."

"It washes down the necessary. Some imports are alright but never been too big on them myself," said John taking a swig from his bottle.

"I suppose it's what you let yourself get use to." Giles replied.

To which John just nodded as he took another slug.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Xander yawned as Buffy entered the room and pushed his feet off the bed, Willow was half asleep, but still muttering nonsense at her usual pace, she stopped for a second looking at Buffy and smiled.

"I'm okay Willow, you should get some sleep, you've had long day." Buffy said to her exhausted friend, Willow nodded and curled up tighter into her partner's arms.

"He still being stubborn then?" asked Xander.

"Doesn't look like he has any other mood, and sorry about you know."

"It's alright; I'm just supposed to be the head watcher of this continent, a job which you two talked me into. You know I was quite happy doing the travelling and finding active potentials thing. So why would I want to be consulted when a slayer and a witch on my watch are planning to do anything stupid? It's not like the two of them are my best friends or anything like that." He broke out into a grin, "But I'm guessing we can now definitely pin down where you got that my way or the high way attitude of yours."

"I don't have a 'my way or the highway attitude' " muttered Buffy.

"Oh, you so do," Xander yawned again, "You know how you get."

"Will you two keep it down please," said Kennedy as Willow nestled in her arms. "He's right though you do have that 'you follow, I lead' sort of thing going on."

"Thanks so, much Kennedy."

"If it helps, you're prettier," added the brunette slayer trying to soften the blow.

Buffy lay down in the space on the bed that had previously been taken by Xander's legs.

"So what about this demon, any ideas?" questioned the curious Kennedy.

Buffy shook her head, "Not really, but I'm guessing that whatever it's planning, I'm not gonna want to send it a good luck card."

Xander tried to get himself comfortable again, in the chair beside the bed, "We get what we can out of them, and we all hit the books when we get home, see if it tallies with anything they have come up with." He bolted up straight, "Christ did I say we should hit the books?"

Buffy nodded, as she rearranged some of the pillows around where she was lying before handing a spare one to Kennedy, "I hope we have the time. If activity started up again after a twenty two year gap and it's not just a feeding frenzy I'm not so sure."

"Slayer gut or just over protective Buffy?" asked Xander finally settling down.

"To be honest, I don't know yet." She answered, chewing her bottom lip.

--------------------------------

As they sat waiting in chairs as Dawn casually flicked through the magazines, Sam jiggled his leg agitatedly.

"Can you quit that please?" Dawn asked, not taking her eyes from the page.

Sam stilled, "What?"

"Thank you," she turned the page turning her attention to the list of what couples were hot and which were not.

"Should have gone in with him." He folded his arms and slumped further into his chair.

"No you shouldn't have." She still didn't look up.

"You don't know what he's like."

She peered over the top of the magazine, "Do you two get confused for a gay couple much?"

"Excuse me?"

She put down her reading material in her lap, though she was careful to keep hold of the page she was reading, "It's just the way the nurse at the desk looked at the two of you, especially when Dean had to chase you out of the doctor's office when you followed him in there. I'm just curious."

Sam looked at her his brow knotted, she picked up the magazine again, "Okay, Whatever."

"He's just not very good with doctors, and I don't know how he'll explain the whole."

"'My half sister shared her life force with me and so I'm fine' thing?"

"Yeah."

"You guys have to get yourself some new doctors. Ones I know would just accept that as an explanation."

He sat dumbfounded for a second, "Okay?"

She sighed and finally resigned herself that she was never going to get to finish the article that she was on, "Right I get it. It tends to be just you and him most of the time. You're worried, but he doesn't like it when you worry about him. However, if it was the other way around, he'd be sitting in there beside you no matter what you said or did; right?"

"Yeah, truth is…"

"John went hunting and he basically raised you?"

Sam nodded, "Yes."

"Dean doesn't like it when you remind him of it, and you have no idea how to repay him for the fact that he gave up most of his childhood to look after a little brother who at the time probably wasn't too grateful. But you would still like it if he occasionally butted out of your life?"

"You majoring psychology or something?" Sam asked.

"Actually, I'm going to major History and hopefully take some classes in Fine Art. But, spending the week with you guys and it's pretty obvious. Don't worry I won't tell him you were out here acting like an expectant father."

He smirked, "Why do I get the feeling it's something similar with you are your sister."

"Oh yes, it is so looking in a mirror," Dawn mocked, before thoughtfully putting the question, "Did he start breaking down your friends doors with offensive weaponry when you were a couple of hours late coming back from the prom?"

"No," Sam replied, before curiously asking, "Shotgun?"

Dawn shook her head, "Broadsword. She had gotten word of a warrior nest out to cause trouble. Wasn't the most popular kid at graduation."

"He did end up taking out the school quarterback cause I was supposedly getting to close to his girlfriend, when I was in the tenth grade," Sam said, causing Dawn to raise an eyebrow, "I was helping her out with English. I could of handled him myself back then but not him and his three friends, though Dean didn't come charging in like something out of the middle ages."

"Okay" she said to the explanation.

"Actually Dad was fine about it. They weren't about to admit that they got their asses handed to them by one guy and the dude had been roughing the girl up. School wasn't too happy though, it was just before homecoming." He ran his hand through his hair, "It sounds like fun growing up with her though, so what was it was really like?"

"What growing up with slayer Buffy or the normal pain in ass one?" Dawn asked.

"Normal?" Sam asked, confused.

Dawn took a breath, "She only became a slayer when she got to high school, she was a regular kid before that. You know _'Don't touch my stuff. Did he call? Mom there's a sale at the Mall, my life will be so much better when I get my licence.'_ Then Merrick turned up and next thing she knows she's spending most of her nights in cemeteries, hiding blood stained clothes from Mom and having to cut classes to make sure she can fit enough training in to stay alive."

"Who's Merrick?"

"Her first watcher; he got himself killed, died right in front of her. She got them though, the vamps that did it; took them right out of the game." Dawn made a sweeping stabbing motion with her hand, "Then Mom decided we were moving to Sunnydale after the divorce, unbeknown to her sitting right on the most active mouth of hell. Buffy gets assigned Giles, meets Willow, Xander and of course, Angel, a.k.a. Deadboy or the brooding one, and then we have the wonderful story of the founding of the Scooby gang. Also known as the averting of 'The Harvest'."

"Sounds like you had a wonderful childhood," said Sam.

"Mom was cool, so were the guys, especially Tara, she was Willow's first girlfriend and Anya; she explained things to me that I would never learn health class, but don't tell Xander I said that. Buffy on the other hand, typical big sister material. Then Mom died and she took over. She had to grow up pretty quick and deal with everything that Mom had always taken care of. That freaked her out more than any of the monsters she had to face and included raising a teenager who could take the gold for stropping and then… well that's another story," Dawn stopped as one of the doors from the side rooms opened, Sam strained to see who was leaving the room. It was a young woman; he let out a deep breath before turning back to Dawn.

"So was your mom alright with the slayer thing?"

"No, not at first, but in the end she had no real choice in the matter, it's what Buffy is, and not much either of them could do about it. In the end, it made the relationship between them stronger, I think. Mom didn't ask about the details and Buffy felt safe enough to tell her the big important stuff, you know, they all did. Willow about Tara and the magic, Xander about feeling useless sometimes, Anya about being out her depth with people, Giles about missing his home. Actually, I think Mom was the first person Willow really talked to about Tara. It's what my mom did; she couldn't go out and help so she listened." Dawn smiled.

"She sounds pretty special, your mom, I don't know much about mine," said Sam solemnly, " Dean tries, but he was only four when she died, he remembers things like the kitchen used to smell of apples when she baked and she use to let him sit in the warm towels after she took them out the drier. He says he use watch her and dad when they'd wash up for dinner and remembers that she use to laugh when him and Dad screwed up their noses when she was changing my diapers, stuff like that. He said that what he remembers most is how soft her hair was, and that it always smelt of flowers."

Dawn put a hand on his arm sympathising for all the memories he had to have second hand, the majority of hers might have been false but at least she took solace in the fact her Mom and sister shared them too. "If she can cause someone to remember all of that and he was only four she must have been really special too."

"Dad doesn't talk about her too much, it still an open wound for him I suppose a bit like me and Jess, will be until we kill The Demon," Sam started to jiggle his leg again. "If he'd known about Buffy he would have been there you know, even if it was just checking in to see if she was okay."

"I suppose; he'd have probably put his foot down about the slayer thing, or heaven forbid gone out on patrol with her."

"Probably, Dad can be a little old fashioned when it comes to the women."

"Old fashioned, really? This about a man who got so drunk one night he took advantage of an equally drunk young woman that he had just met and if it wasn't for my sister probably would never have given a second thought about?" Dawn asked raising an eyebrow, her voice tinged with sarcastic indication.

"Well, no. I know this must be hard on you too, it's your family as well, but my Dad…" Sam was unsure of what to say to her.

Dawn grinned, somewhat happy to know that even though Sam had issues with his old man he'd still try to defend him. "Sam it's fine, no-one made could make my mother do anything she didn't want to unless there was some real powerful mojo involved. I don't think you could say a few shots and a couple of beers falls into that league. She may not have gone out patrolling but she faced down half of the Scourge of Europe, one she hit in the head with an axe and made the other one decide to leave town. I'm okay with it; Buffy's okay with it and as for my dad, well less said about Hank the better."

"Right," Sam looked straight ahead of him, "I think we just got accept that other thing though don't we."

"Accept what?" asked Dawn.

"That no matter what we do that somehow we will always be their younger brother or sister, won't we."

Dawn nodded, "Yep, we could go on to rule the world but they'll always be there trying to beat the snot out whatever tries to take away our lunch money, we've just gotta deal with it."

"Yeah but we wouldn't change them would we?" Sam said grinning.

"Yeah but we'll never let them know that." Dawn agreed knowingly.

"No. We'd never live it down."

-----------------------------------------

"Is anyone else feeling déjà vu here?" Dean asked as the car stopped outside the house.

Dawn nodded, "Have some recollections of doing something like this before. Wasn't it a few hours ago?"

Sam turned to his brother, "Didn't you have a bunny rabbit last time?"

Dean set his jaw, "Shut up Samantha."

"It's a gorilla," Dawn interjected hoping to keep the brotherly banter to a minimum, "Be nice about it or next time you get hurt, I won't get you a present."

"He likes unicorns, pink ones with hair he can braid," said Dean as he got out of the car.

"You know the 'Sam is a girl' thing is getting real old Dean." Sam said, shutting his door.

"Why Sammikins, I'm hurt," Dean feigned injured pride before adding in a silly sing song voice, "you know I only do it 'cause I 'wuv you."

Sam looked towards the sky, "Someone shoot me please."

Missouri looked happy to see Sam and Dean, though a little unsure what to say when Dawn reappeared.

"I'm back, I'm fine, no complications, everything present and accounted for, don't have to see the doc again, does that answer all your questions?" Dean said seeing his host's face.

She stared at him, "No, come here."

He stepped forward expecting her to give him the quick once over to make sure he had been telling her the truth, but she pulled him down into a big hug and he was sure he heard her sob, "Hey there, I'm okay, weirded out sure, but I'm back to the old Dean you know and love."

She let go and started swat him round the head, "Don't you ever scare an old woman like that again. Do you hear me boy?" Each blow connecting in time with the rhythm words she spoke.

He raised his arms to defend himself, but she continued, "If you ever do an - y - thing as stup - id as that again I will tan your hide till it is black and blue!"

"Alright – alright." He peaked out from behind his hand, checking she wasn't going to hit him again, "Next time a cute little red head wants to put her hands all over me I'll just say no."

She hit him one more time before giving him another hug. Sam sniggered behind him as he watched the scene. Dawn looked around, "Where are the others?"

She looked at the girl, "Up with your friend."

"Right," Dawn stayed out of arm's reach as she could feel the psychic's anger at what had happened between Dean, Willow and Buffy, "I'll just go see them, then."

As Dawn went up the stairs, Sam turned to Missouri, "You can't blame her for what happened you know."

"I'm not, I just don't like that it happened," she said as Dean backed away from her slightly fearful that she was going to start using his head for target practice again. Too many people had been using him to vent their anger out on lately, "but that girl is hiding something. I thought it was what her sister was, but it isn't that."

"Great what we all need more big reveals. So far we've found out Dad was like him when he was younger. We have one sister, whose the chosen one, an ancient secret society, that's not only seems responsible for her but also to her and a witch, who's her best friend, and can apparently redistribute life itself." Sam said rubbing his brow. "So what do you think Dawn's deal is?"

Dean glowered at his brother, "Can you change the record on your opinion on how I deal with women Sam? I know you didn't go out too often, but I do remember that before you went off to school you did on occasion come home a little later than you said you would. At least I'm completely honest about the fact it's not likely that I'm gonna stick around."

"Boys - don't start that now!" Missouri said soundly, "I don't know what girl's thing is but she's scared of telling you. The rest of them know it though, and they'll do what they have to, to protect it. Especially that sister of yours."

"When did you start pulling down Yoda duty? 'Cause, you know, the mystical pieces of advice on the doorstep ain't too much help." Dean said, though on seeing her reaction he took a further step back.

------------------------

"Hidey ho guys," Dawn said, entering the bedroom where Willow was sleeping.

"Everything go alright?" asked Buffy as Dawn sat down on the bed beside where she was lying.

"Sure, nothing out of the ordinary. Do you know the two of them have real attachment issues?" asked Dawn.

"Any worse than us?" her sister asked sitting up.

"Not really, but I don't think you could ever say that anyone else's sibling relationship could ever be remotely compared to ours," replied Dawn.

"You never know, one of them could be the vessel of some unbelievable force of energy too," said Xander.

"Please don't say that, I'm not taking a plunge again." Buffy said resolutely.

"And we don't want you too," said Dawn, "I don't think I could go through that again."

Buffy hugged her sister, then she proceeded to kiss her on the top of her head, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise me?" Dawn asked.

Buffy smiled half heartedly, "Promise."

"Anyway you know the drill, your sister dies I bring her back." Xander joked, "It's my role in life."

Dawn turned to look at Kennedy who had started to doze off, "Willow doing okay?"

"Fine, shouldn't even have a hangover," explained Buffy, "We should be getting back to the motel, can't really start taking up residence here can we?"

"Think Missouri is going to burst as it is," Xander sat up straight in his chair.

"She didn't look to happy when we got in, though she had just finished boxing Dean's ears."

"Boxing ears?" asked Buffy, "You are spending too much time with your nose in a book young lady. How bad was she?"

"It was funny," chuckled Dawn, "But I'm getting the feeling she knows something's off."

"Dawn you got to tell them." Xander said.

Dawn looked him straight in the eye, "Please, tell me how and I'll do it."

"Right now he's freaked, in the _'I'm not sure what's going on, so I'm going to take control of everything so no-one notices I'm coming unglued'_ sort of way, so us throwing the truth about The Key into the mix might not be the best thing to do right now," said Buffy, "We can do it tomorrow?"

"I'm good with tomorrow." said Dawn.

"The two of you have to sit them down tomorrow and explain everything to them, alright," argued Xander. "See it as humouring me alright?."

"Well not everything." Buffy said hopefully.

Xander nodded, "Your history with men probably should be for later, it would give him a coronary."

"I know, I know," said Buffy picking up a pillow. "Why can't I find for a nice normal guy who can just accept me for who I am?"

"A good man is so hard to find these days," Xander joked as he gently prodding his best friend with his foot while reclining on the chair he was sitting on.

"Thanks Xan," said Buffy as she buried her head further into the pillow.

-------------------------------

Jenny just finished putting the dishes in the washer. She'd had a long day, work had been hell, and Sari was still getting over her cold. She was just glad that her daughter was still well enough to go to school. They needed the money right now.

Her little boy was happily playing in his pen. Sari was watching some teenage movie in the same room. You know the type boy meets girl, their friends don't get on – hilarious mix-up forces them apart. One of them realises that the social differences in High School don't matter and they get back together at the big dance, where they are voted King and Queen of whatever.

She was just about to get little Richie to bed when the door went, she took a quick look through the window of the front door. There were two very smartly dressed men standing there.

She opened the door, probably a couple of salesmen she thought or missionaries.

"I'm sorry but I don't need anything," she said politely, "and I'm happy with my church."

One smiled at her, "Oh my dear we are not selling anything. As for God…"

The other one flicked out a forked tongue.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer – Please see earlier chapters.

Sorry this has taken so long to get up; I won't bore you with the long and short, but please let me know what you think.

Thank you so much to Twinkiecat who kindly looked over this for me, your help is so appreciated.

* * *

The sun finally gave up its fight, and departed from the Kansas skies. Sam went over to the window of the front room and proceeded to draw the curtains. He looked out the window and saw a figure standing across the street under one of the glowing streetlights, it appeared to be a little boy wearing superman pyjamas.

"Richie?"

* * *

As the scoobies came down the stairs, Willow seemed to be feeling much better for her nap. Kennedy wiped the sleep from her eyes muttering that teleporting lag was worse than the usual jetlag. Giles greeted them at the bottom of the stairs armed with coats, playing his usual role of adult to the group. John was standing there, not sure what to say to the girl in front of him.

"Look about earlier," John said straightening up, hands still in his pockets.

"Don't worry about it," said Buffy putting on her jacket.

"You're going to come back aren't you?" he asked cautiously.

Buffy nodded, "Sure, if you are okay with that?"

He gave her a smile, "We start again tomorrow? Clean slate, no more big secrets."

Buffy glanced at Dawn, "Yep we put the cards on the table."

John took his hand out of his pockets, "See you tomorrow then."

She cocked her head slightly, "Told you you'd be surprised when you saw the real Buffy."

He grinned, "Haven't run for the hills yet."

Dean rushed into the hallway, "Have you seen him?"

"Seen who?" asked Xander.

Dean was nervous, "The sugar plum fairy, who do you think, Sam!"

"No why?" asked Willow.

Missouri poked her head over the banister, "He's not upstairs."

John's heart leaped into his throat, "What happened."

Dean started to look around cagily, "He went into the front room to close the drapes then he wasn't there, and the front door was open. Found his knife across the street."

"Right and there is no sign of him outside?" John barked.

Dean shook his head. "No, and the cars are all still here."

Willow looked around, "They couldn't get in, so they got him to come out."

Buffy pulled the hair out of her collar and turned to look up stairs at Missouri, they all did, "You sense energies right? You feel him?"

She shook her head, "My gift doesn't work that way. I can only sense energies of things nearby."

John turned to eldest son, "How long has he been gone."

Dean took a second to think, "Can't be more than ten minutes tops. But what if they had a car?"

"Lets not panic yet," said Giles reaching out his hand to the black woman who was currently coming down the stairs. He guided her to one of the couches in the front room, where he and Willow sat down before her, while the others watched the proceedings.

Dean started to bite his nails and look around, "We don't have the time for this."

"Dean wait." John said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder, "We'll find him, then I'll kill him for being so stupid."

Giles sighed, "Right, do you see our auras?"

"Yes, all a mishing and mashing just like normal," the little woman said, she tapped her chest, "Feel them right here."

Giles nodded, "Concentrate. What's missing?"

Missouri took a deep breath, this wasn't the normal way she did this, "The blue, his bright shade of blue, it's fading, it's going out the door."

"You know him, you can sense him and you know this town; you know if necessary can walk its streets with your eyes closed." Giles whispered, "So follow him."

Missouri closed her eyes and breathed. With her mind's eye, she followed the trail, how it met up with the purple red, all angry, in the street, how it began to weaken; she started to cry. She saw it snake down the road and turn the corner. She felt how it slowly diminished; fighting every inch of the way, until the point, it was almost gone, engulfed by something else. She was standing in front of a tree, a familiar one, she looked up and in the window of a room Sam stood there, his eyes as black as coal.

She began to sob, "He's in his nursery, and their trying to take his soul."

"He's at the old house," Dean started for the door before his dad grabbed his arm, "Wait."

John limped as quickly as he could to the other room, stood at the doorway and threw Dean something, "You do what you have to, you hear me."

He looked down into to see what was in his hands, it was the colt, their last hope with its single bullet. Dean looked up straight into his father's glare, "Yes sir."

Dawn sat beside Missouri comforting her, their roles reversed from the previous night.

Buffy looked at her friends, "Will, I hate to ask you but?"

"Don't worry. You'll have it," said her trusted friend, "Go!"

"Giles?" Buffy asked her watcher, to which he nodded, she turned towards Dean, "Let's go"

The two of them left running out of the door, Xander started to rearrange the furniture of the room, Giles turned to John, "You wouldn't have an exorcism ritual or two lying around would you?"

"Yeah," John said reaching for his journal.

As the two older men left the headed for one of the cars, John caught sight of Dawn lighting candles round the other three of their group. They were holding hands, eyes shut tightly, Slayer, Witch, Watcher, all three were chanting while the girl and Missouri watched on. He couldn't see much detail, and he was sure it must have been his eyes playing tricks on him, especially seeing what was being played out right now. But had the witch's hair changed colour all of a sudden?

Giles flicked through the journal as John drove to his old home, "You have the ritual Romano in here, both parts."

"Yeah," John said turning a corner, "Don't think we want to manifest the bastard."

Giles smiled, "Needs a little tweeking, and a little luck on the timing, but that is exactly what we want to do."

Buffy kept Dean's pace, wanting to make sure that she was on the right track, he stopped for a second, catching his breath,

"Much further?" she asked.

"Less than half a block. Why there? Why the fuck did they have to take him there?" Dean spat, he looked as if he was going to puke, but they had been running flat out since they had left the house, he turned to her, "Look you got nothing I'll go in first."

She shook her head, "You know why there, to unsettle you, keep you off balance and this isn't the time for chivalry, I'll take the front, you the back."

"I know these people, Jenny and her two kids, her girl Sari and her little boy Richie. If he ain't here then you bursting in will scare the shit out of them."

"And you breaking down the door won't?" she said, before adding "Fine you take the front then, as for not having anything, don't worry about that."

As they got to the house they slowed down, continuing at a swift walk, Buffy continued round the back of the house, she quickly peered inside seeing a little girl and her mother sitting in the kitchen, their eyes were filled with terror.

Dean picked the lock on the front door, he stepped inside, it was dark the only light coming from the headlights of the cars as they passed by the house. They cast various distorted shadows on the walls. Dean edged forward, suddenly out of the barrelling out of the sideroom throwing him into the wall. He pushed back, inwardly cursing about how he'd made such a rookie mistake. It seemed to have more than two hands, as it continued to try to pummel his torso. Dean raised his arms and brought his fists together down as hard as he could on the head of his attacker, it took a step back.

It didn't really have a face to speak of but it had teeth and four fists, it seemed to be on automatic pilot, it was to attack whatever came through that door. Dean steeled himself for another attack, but just as it took a step forward, he heard a whistle.

"Here boy, come on. Here boy," she stood there crouched slightly clapping her hands, The thing turned and started to run down the hallway, Dean rubbed his tender side, as he watched Buffy smile, it was a dangerous smile, too practiced, too calculated, "Good Boy."

It continued its run Buffy leaped to the side letting the thing run straight past her. But not before she buried the kitchen knife she acquired up to its hilt in the attacker spine. It continued on its run smacking right into the kitchen cabinets before collapsing, the pus coloured fluid that must have been its excuse for blood flowed on the floor.

"There goes the element of surprise," said Dean as he checked out the kill.

"You know we never had that. There'll be more, expected me to take the front, he was meant to slow me down while you went upstairs," she said pulling the knife out of its back.

"Others suppose to take me out while you're busy then?" Dean said bending down.

"That's the idea," she said wiping her weapon on a cloth, "Probably at least two on the landing."

"Fugly Bastard ain't he." He prodded the corpse with his finger, "Weak point the just below the neck huh?"

She passed her brother one of the knives out of the block. "Basic foot soldier type. Things like that, not too much brain. Get behind it."

"Have you seen Jenny?" Dean asked quietly.

Buffy nodded, "Got her and her daughter out of the house. I'm sorry there was no sign of the little boy."

Dean didn't say anything, he didn't want to think about what had happened to the kid, "So, upstairs?"

"Right, take it there is only one stairway?"

"Yep, bottleneck."

She pretended to shudder, "Oh, you did grow up all military didn't you."

"If we get out of this I'll tell you some stories," he smiled following her out of the kitchen.

"Well I don't know about you but I've got to get out of this, I made a promise and Dawn gets a little shirty if you don't keep your promises."

"She do the wounded puppy thing?" Dean asked as he climbed the stairs looking around for anything else that could go for them.

Buffy scouting out the landing at the top of the stairs, "No she just stops talking to you. Can keep it up for days; let me guess Sammy?"

"Yeah, makes you feel like crap. Just has to look at you and you're feeling all sorry for him. You think you were dealing with a god damn first grader that's just dropped his ice cream."

Suddenly another thing came out of one of the rooms, both Buffy and Dean flattened themselves against the wall. It kept moving forward, banging its head against the wall above the stairs. It regrouped turning round to make another charge.

Buffy sighed, "For once I want to meet something with some imagination."

She grabbed one of its arms twisting it behind its back, a horrible crunching sound emanated from the shoulder region. Another one came out it seemed to have a horn on its head before Dean could finish the one in Buffy's grip. He dodged it as it rammed its head into the wall. He brought the blade down as hard as he could causing the thing to drop like a stone.

"You got the hang of it." Buffy beamed proudly.

Dean just looked as her. He felt a little insulted that she seemed to think he couldn't take care of himself, "Hey from what I hear I've been doing this a lot longer than you have princess."

"Okay no need to be so sensitive," she replied, "and don't call me princess."

"Well it isn't me with the stupid name is it." Dean said, kinda of enjoying the fact he had found such an easy way to get a rise out of her.

"My name is not stupid," she said in an irritated manner, as the arm she was holding of other one suddenly it came away in her hands, causing arterial spray to cover her "Man, I liked this jacket. Definitely got to bring the clothing thing up again at the next budget meeting" Dean just shook his head at her as he turned.

Richie stood at the end of the hall, the little boy's movements a little too precise for someone his age. Two upright creatures, flanked him; they were wearing suits. Their hair wasn't hair more like worms. The little boy walked back into the room that was Sam's nursery 22 years before.

"Bigger hitters," Dean rubbed his mouth.

"Yep," she said as she threw the knife in her hand in the air and caught it with ease, "Do you want to sort out the other, while I deal with these?"

"Sure," Dean nodded. One of the suited demons serrated tongue flicked out of its mouth, he rethought the decision to leave her "You be alright?"

"If I need you I'll let you know." Buffy told him, "You go get him and I hope that gun of yours works."

She made her move against the offensive force ahead of them. As he entered the room he heard something hit the wall and scream behind him, it wasn't human, he was glad of that.

Sam was standing there in front of him with little Richie holding his hand.

Sam looked down, "Son this is the one that killed our master's child."

"What are we to do father?" The smile on the little boy's face was a little sick, "Can I rip him apart?"

Dean was confused, "What's this? Take your kid to work day?"

Sam looked down and stroked the young boy's head, with something akin to fatherly pride, "He's young, tried to go to where you were staying. The witch's ritual made him feel unwelcome. So he tried another tact. He's very bright, he got Sam to come to him. I have such hopes for him."

Sam continued to mess up the small child hair but turned to give his attention to Dean. It wasn't brother facing brother, "You'll be his first kill. It's times like these that make you feel all warm inside."

"Really?" Dean said, bringing the colt up, "I hate to be a party pooper, especially at such a kodak moment, but I'll just say no thanks."

"It hurts doesn't it, to know you're being replaced?" the little boy said, "You spend all those years playing Daddy's little soldier, looking after your family and then she comes in and takes over. Does it sting?"

"What do you know?" Dean stood his ground, though he didn't want to shoot either one of them, "So she turns up and helps out, not going to turn her away."

"That is what they call putting a brave face on things." Sam explained to the little boy, "You see it's her fault this is happening, we had to speed things up because of her."

There was another thud in the wall outside, Dean lowered the gun slightly, "What do you mean?"

"We weren't planning to take Sam, subtlety is sometimes preferred. But with the arrival of a slayer and that one as well, he felt he had to move things along. It would have been preferred for Sam to come to us on his own. "

"Sam will never do that!" Dean said raised the gun again.

"Is that what they call denial, Father?" said the boy looking up at Sam, "I can taste the bitterness in his words. He can't even bring himself to shoot you."

"That is weakness my child, that is why they will lose. He doesn't want to hurt his little brother, nor does he want any harm to come to the little boy,"

"The one I have taken, his squirming has lessened, has yours?" the possessed boy asked.

"No but he will. They always do." Sam turned again to face Dean, "As you are hesitating, I take it you want to know what is planned."

"Please no monologue." Dean spat out, "I'm not really in the mood for the second rate James Bond villain impression."

"Oh but they are so much fun," Buffy said entering the room, "But let me guess, there are more of them, people like Sam so your boss is building an army right? Wants a war, right?"

The boy laughed, "What they said about you is true."

"Oh you heard some of the stories then. Sorry if I don't stop to give you an autograph," she said, "I have to say though, some of them, blown way out of proportion."

"You are so out of your league slayer," possessed Sam said coldly.

Dean shook his head, "Not another league thing."

"Total agreement with you, I am so fed up with big bads talking about leagues, squads, teams, first half, second half, innings and quarters, goals, targets, strikes, etcetera, etcetera. What is it about the sports linked metaphors?" She asked rhetorically, "Until someone decides that there is a better way to do this other than the violence I think we should get rid of all of them."

"Or we could make them kind of literal, you know," Dean said after thinking for a second, "Decide things over, say, a nice game of softball. Nice day out, hot dogs and beer."

He looked over a Sam and the little boy, "You can bring the kid."

"Ohhh," Buffy started to jump up and down, "Can I be pitcher?"

"Don't think you'd be good at that," Dean said over his shoulder.

"What don't think I could carry off the uniform?" Buffy said insulted.

"You probably throw like a girl; maybe you could cover third base."

"Hey I am a girl!" said the insulted Buffy, she turned to the demons in front of her, "Third base is that good?"

The black-eyed Sam expression changed, "Your reputation does say you can talk."

Buffy fluttered her eyelashes at him, "You know what they say about a girl's reputation."

"Please, you think we did not prepare for you." Sam raised his hand. Buffy was sent flying back towards the wall, while at the same time, she started to gasp, as the demon had cut off the air she was breathing.

Dean squeezed the trigger, he didn't mean too but the reflexes honed by more than 20 years of hunting automatically took over, and in a split second deciding on the one course of action he could take that had any hope of saving both of them.

"Father!" the little demon cried out.

Sam fell to his knees, causing the demon inside the little boy to cry. Richie begin to emit smoke which passed through the floor leaving behind a very shell shocked child; Richie crawled to the corner of the room away from the people who were scaring him. The demon inside Sam tried to hold on, it clutched his arm, smiling, "Congratulations I didn't you had it in you, you shot him."

Sam began to cough, the smoke seemed to leach from his every pore. Instead of it escaping, it seemed to hovering in the room.

"Sammy," Dean yelled as he watched his injured brother edge away from the thing, though he could get any closer to his brother.

The demon had began to solidify in the centre of the room, the shapes it contorted into were both beautiful and hideous all at the same time, it emitted a passionate red, regal purple, silvers and gold, forest greens and the deepest of blues, eventually it seemed to settle on a shape, it something resembling a horned angel. But looking at it caused Dean to feel sick in the pit of his stomach.

The now corporeal demon looked straight at Dean Winchester, "How?"

"Have watcher will travel," Buffy smiled getting back on her feet, "Mix an exorcism and summoning ritual the right way and you're stuck here, plain and simple. My friend Andrew thought of it."

Something dripped from its lips as it spoke, "You think this will stop it, there will be others that will follow me. I will be avenged."

"There are always more, and we'll be here to stop you," Buffy stood there side by side with her brother; her hands folded behind her back, "I'd say tell whoever you work for to stay away from our family, but you are so not going back."

"They'll never accept her you know that. It's not in their nature," the now corporeal demon hissed, "Daddy will want to hunt her down."

"That's the best you got?" retorted the slayer, "Doesn't matter what they say I accept her, the rest of us accept her and I'll protect her and she knows that I always will."

Dean looked from the thing to his sister; she smiled as she felt the tingle that had begun in her fingers.

It looked frightened, "This isn't your fight. You are right, the plan is years away from fruition. You could live out your lives and not have to be involved, we could leave Sam alone, you have my word."

"You try this and we're suppose to let you walk?" Dean spat out.

"A higher level demon's word is his bond," Buffy said nodding knowingly, "So I believe him."

Dean was taken aback by his sisters words, as Buffy continued, "You can go."

The demon took a step forward, unsure if he should take the Slayer at face value.

Buffy then gently slapped herself on the forehead, "Oh but wait, you said it isn't my fight, and guess what you are so right." She threw the gleaming red and sliver scythe into Dean's hands and let him seamlessly cleave the being in front of him in two.

The two sides of the thing seemed to hold together for a few seconds, before sliding to floor. They stood there silently, Sam holding the whimpering child as he watched his brother and sister stand over their kill as it dissipated in front of them. Buffy bent down, picked up the gun, and handed it to Dean.

"You dropped this," she said.

"Thanks," he took hold of the colt while handing back the slayer scythe back to Buffy, "Snazzy."

"Thanks, but don't tell anyone I let you play with that," she whispered to which he nodded.

Dean walked over to his brother, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'd never thought I'd say this but thanks for shooting me," Sam said as he grabbed his wounded arm, "Jesus man, you are one lousy shot! That was the last bullet wasn't it?"

"Yep," Dean said quietly. "Dad's gonna chew me a new one."

Buffy crouched down, carefully putting her toy down as she picked up to toddler who was crying, "Special bullets, huh?"

Sam hissed as he moved his arm, "All gone now."

Buffy smiled, "I don't know much firearms. But are you so sure you lost it?"

"What do you mean?" asked Dean.

"Casing is still in the gun right?" she asked.

Both brothers nodded as Buffy watched Dean rip off the arm of Sam's shirt, "It's just I can't see an exit wound. The bullet's still in him"

The boys looked at her, "Can't you take it out, melt it down and remake it?"

"I don't know," Dean said, "Can we do that?"

"Not sure," said Sam, "Without the bullets the gun's useless."

Buffy tutted, "There is always an alignment or something flying by if that's what you need, but it seems like a waste to me. Let me guess made by a man?"

Dean nodded, "Samuel Colt made it himself, so the legend goes; made thirteen bullets to go with it."

"Well what's the point of that, only having thirteen shots, what happens if you miss? Even mythical swords can be used to maim other things after you kill the original target."

Dean looked at her, "You are a piece of work you know that."

"What have you never heard of recycling?" She turned to Sam, "By the way, this is a Tuesday."

Sam tried to stand up, "What has a Tuesday got to do with this."

Buffy handed Dean the scared little boy, "It's just if you are going to do something like this again, can you try not to do it on a Tuesday."

Dean bounced the little boy for a second, "So he can get possessed any other day of the week."

"Oh sure. It's just I tend to be busy on a Tuesday; it's Dawn's day to get into trouble, we decided, she put it on the calendar and everything." Buffy said walking out the bedroom doorway.

* * *

Jenny was relieved beyond words as Dean carried her son outside. She sat in the rental SUV John and Giles had arrived in holding her children, just grateful to be alive. Sam sat in the foot well of the car as John checked out his wound and gave his son a firm (but G rated, young ears listening and all) talking to about leaving himself open to attack like that. Giles talked on the phone with regard to cleaning up the house and the removal of the bodies.

Both Dean and Buffy stood by the front wall watching the activity, Buffy's scythe nestling behind her obscured from view.

"How did that get here?" asked Dean.

Buffy didn't turn her head, "If I said by magic would you believe me."

"Sure." Dean said solidly, not really wanting any further elaboration on the subject.

"I've got a question," Buffy said.

"Shoot"

"What the hell did you feed him?"

Dean turned his head, "What?"

"Seriously, what did you feed him, or is there some whacked out Winchester gene, older brothers and sisters have to be shorter than the younger ones."

Dean was confused, "I don't get you."

"When Willow said that I had a brother I expected to be shorter than you, you're a guy it's usual," Buffy reasoned, "I'm use to being shorter than Dawn. I have to admit I don't like it but I'm use to it. Then I met Mr 'I want to be a giant redwood" who, no offence, makes you look like a midget and you're over 6ft."

"I'm 6ft 1'"

"Right, so I'm asking what did you feed him? Or did you just stick him in a grow bag as a child."

"Spagettios."

"Really," she turned back to looking into space, "Suppose I'll just have to cope, suppose it helps that I'm the only member of this family that can bench press a car."

Dean snorted, followed by Buffy sniggering, "Okay not a car, but a heavy motorcycle if I have to."

Dean stilled for a second, he turned towards his older sister, "What did it mean about Dawn?"

"And they say you're not the clever one." She joked hoping to deflect the conversation.

Dean didn't look as if he wasn't going to be put off, "What did it mean, that we wouldn't accept her?"

Buffy thought for a second, maybe it was time to bite the bullet, "Would you believe that this is one of those long stories and you really have to have an open mind."

Giles got off the phone, he'd arranged for the cleanup to begin and for Jenny and her family to have alternative accommodation if she was unable to stay with friends. He looked over at his charge, proud of her as always. She had done her usual, left people to work to their strengths and the outcome had been good.

He turned to see Dean Winchester slide down the side of the house, looking rather pale; Buffy was gently patting him on the back. The young man had been fine a few seconds ago, he was not seriously injured, his split lip being the only outward indication of the physical abuse he'd been through that night and his brother was fine, so that could only mean one thing. Dean moved slowly towards the car, picked up his father's journal and jut continued on.

"I think I'm going to walk back," Dean said passing both his brother and Dad without them saying a word. Buffy skipped a few steps to catch up with him.

"He took it better than I thought he would." Buffy said as she passed her watcher, "See you at the house."

* * *

A/N If the stuff about remaking the bullet is wrong please let me know as I don't know anything about firearms.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer – Please see earlier chapters.

Hi folks – hope you like this bit if not let me know okay.

Thanks so much to Twinkiecat for taking a look this and all the other stuff she has looked at as well!

Also if you are confused with the sheep reference, I'll explain at the bottom

* * *

As Sam, John and Giles got back to Missouri's after dropping Jenny off at one of her friend's homes, Dawn and Missouri were to be found to putting her reading room back in order. Xander came down the stairs looking exhausted, after helping Kennedy into one of the bedrooms, barely making it to one of the armchairs before collapsing. Willow was lying flat out on one of the couches.

"We've got to figure out a better way of sending that thing to where it needs to be," said Dawn to Giles as she picked up a couple of candles, "Ken, took the brunt of the energy drain, like the slayer always does and there is no way Willow should try anything remotely magical for at least the next month."

"The idea was to only call on the scythe in times of necessity," said Giles, "We all agreed that to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, a high Wiccan, a slayer and a watcher had to be in full agreement with each of them accepting the consequences of their decision."

"Was that also the meeting that everyone else decided that I was never to take part?" Dawn asked sarcastically.

"Dawn, you know why that was," said Giles, "It is too dangerous, it requires."

"I know, I know, too much energy, don't want to risk it," Dawn said cutting him off, "How many years has it been? Has it ever done anything? Has anyone apart from that one time made it do anything? No!"

Giles peered over the top of his glasses at her, and in his most sympathetic but authoritarian parental voice, "Dawn."

She stood her ground though, "Look just because Missouri had to hit her on the back of the head to stop her from trying to suck me dry doesn't mean that it had anything to do with you know? You know that Will didn't meant it."

"Dawn, you know not to stand too close to us when she does this. It takes too much out of her, she has got no choice but to go for the most vital force in the room as in you!" Xander said, he voice conveyed his exhaustion.

She stormed off into the kitchen to put the candles back into one of the cupboards.

"You don't let the girl play then?" asked John, who was confused by the conversation he had just witnessed.

"Thought it best not to," said Xander in a quiet voice, "God did someone get the number of the bus that hit me."

"You look like you need to take it breather man." Sam winced slightly as he moved his injured arm.

"And I had the easy end," Xander said before turning round, "Well if it isn't Mr Possessed, what happened to the arm dude?"

"My brother shot me."

"Look don't take this the wrong way, but good for him." Xander said collapsing back in the chair.

"Thanks" replied Sam.

Missouri lead the wounded Winchester into the kitchen to tend to his wound. John looked at the almost unconscious witch. The girl that had come with her was supposedly out for the count upstairs as for the boy, it looked as if he could barely stand. He'd seen the weapon that Buffy had brought with her, they had called for it, and whatever it was, they had paid the price for it.

"Buffy not back yet?" asked Giles.

Xander shook his head as before succumbing to sleep.

Dean sat quietly on the back step of the house, using the light from the kitchen to read the entries in his father's book. Buffy stood silently at the side trying not to disturb him.

"You just going to stand there?" he asked continuing to thumb through the pages, even though he had become slightly more alert.

She took a step into the light, "Thought it best, give you some time."

"Thanks" he stopped for a second reading a few words before continuing.

She sat down beside him, "Might be quicker to ask."

"I'm good," he said edging away from her.

"You barely said a word on the way back."

"You were ten feet behind me. I'm not shouting down the street." He still didn't look directly look at her, watching her out of the corner of his eye, "I'm thinking I'm losing it already. I'm not looking like a complete nut job shouting down the street at random people."

"Okay, I'll just sit here till you're ready." She started to examine her fingernails.

After five minutes of him continuing to look through the journal he found something, it wasn't much just a couple of paragraphs about 2 old hunting contacts of his father in California going insane and muttering about the Key and the coming of the Beast, but nothing else. It looked as if John had noted the breakdowns and was waiting to see any further pattern to emerge. But, like most of the things including those he had read about Sunnydal,e it had stopped. He straightened up.

"You ready to talk now?" Buffy asked flicking a piece of imaginary dirt from her pants leg, he didn't say a word.

Buffy sighed, "Oh come on the strong silent treatment is getting boring."

He knotted his brow before looking very seriously at her, Buffy sighed, "Okay you're angry, we should have told you and it's like I said at the house, if this was just a way to mess with you guys then we would have come up with a better story, well one that actually makes some sense. Not so soapy, you know, one minute she's not there, next minute teenager and no-one mentions the huge sudden growth spurt." She had started to babble but she didn't really care, "Thought we'd tell you the Slayer part first, but what with everything with Sam; she just didn't know how to tell you her part. To be honest we aren't 100 sure that she's, you know. But with the way they made her and with the whole swan dive thing, she probably is."

"The dead should stay dead." He said solemnly still not looking at her.

"Oh it's that is it?" she was glad to get him talking. "Look I didn't ask to come back, waking up in my grave wasn't one of my personal highlights; I was happy where I was. I kind of went off the deep end after for a while, just ask them."

Dean couldn't look at her, "It ain't natural, none of this is."

"You're telling me." She looked over at the moon lit lawn, "But they needed me, they couldn't see any other way and we all paid for it. Willow lost more than I can ever say, and it all started when she brought me back. As for Xander, in the end he lost Anya, his eye, 'cause them bringing me back gave the First a foothold. We all live with that, everyday and so does she because I know there are nights she blames herself for all of it. If those monks hadn't created her, then I wouldn't have jumped and they wouldn't have had to do what they did. It's stupid I know, she didn't ask to come into the world this way. If anything her and my mom are the only real innocent parties in all of this."

She turned and gave him a little smile, "But if you look on the bright side, it means you're only three months younger than me"

"And what about him?" asked a serious Dean, nodding towards the house.

"Honestly I don't know." She looked at her brother, "What do you think?"

"How the fuck should I know," asked Dean angrily.

"Well you know him better than I do."

"Thanks," Dean sighed, she was right though, if they wanted them dead, they had plenty of opportunities. Hell, she didn't have to do what she did to him, unless this was just some sort of game, but why would they then they go down this route? He turned to her, "She ain't dangerous?"

Buffy shook her head, "No, not really unless you provoke her."

He buried his head in his hands, "This ain't right, this so ain't right."

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Look just take a second. She is a normal girl now it is just that she has this extra thing about her. She doesn't like anchovies or olives, loves Jack Black movies, and at some point dreams of meeting some guy that won't be scared off by her insanely overprotective older sister. Last week found out that she might have two older brothers and a new Dad. Thing is, the only people that can say for sure without a test are all dead, unless John's got some whipped up memories about bumping into my mom again, actually do you remember being anywhere near LA before you started first grade?"

He shot up from the stoop, taking a step back getting between the seated slayer and the house, "Wait a second, here!"

"Right, you're still getting use to this shouldn't joke. Oh shit that wasn't that long after your mom was it?" she glanced at the ground, "You going to tell them aren't you."

"Well I'm not gonna keep it from them," he said.

"Do you think it was right about him hunting her down?" she asked cagily.

"Christ I don't know." he sat down beside her again, "I don't think so, if she ain't dangerous or anything."

"I won't let that happen, I'll never let that happen."

He put his arm round her, she leant in resting her head on his shoulder, "I know; if it was Sam I wouldn't either."

"Just please don't judge her on this?" Buffy asked.

As they went inside, Dean stopped at his brother to check if he was alright, Missouri was in her element, fussing round Sam. The woman needed grandkids Dean thought, he actually began to wonder if she did have family. It had never occurred to him to ask. Buffy continued to the reading room leaving the scythe in the hallway safely out of sight but close enough to feel its presence. Dawn was still fixing the reading room back to it original arrangement while Willow and Xander were drifting in and out of consciousness. Giles was spending his time tending to both the witch and the unconscious slayer upstairs, making sure that they were fully on this plane.

Buffy turned round to see him standing in the entranceway just watching Dawn. He continued to study the younger girl as Buffy watched his every move. He took a couple of deep breaths before appearing to decide on something. He took a couple of steps forward Buffy tensed slightly. Dawn continued to put knickknacks in there proper position. She put down one of the seer's china cats turned round to see Dean staring down at her, she looked over to her sister who was crouching down beside Xander; Buffy was waiting for Dean's next move. He just continued to stare at Dawn, his full attention focused on the girl. Dawn swallowed, unsure of what he was doing, before pulling her into a hug.

Dawn took a second to register what was happening almost dropping the other ornament she had in her hand, "You know?"

He just gently kissed her on the top of her head while still holding her. Dawn put her hands round his waist gently hugging him back tears began to form in her eyes.

Xander mumbled something causing Buffy to snort her amusement.

Dean turned round, still having an arm round Dawn, "What he say?"

Buffy smiled, "He said that he knew it was all an act."

"What?" asked Dean.

"He's never ever watching 'Finding Nemo' with you in the room, says you probably wouldn't get through the first five minutes before you'd be balling your eyes out."

"Yeah and tell him when he wakes up I'll kick his ass." Dean said taking Dawn by the hand and began to lead her out of the room.

Dawn began to resist, "No, no."

"It either comes out of your mouth or mine," he said with a gentle but firm tone.

Buffy stood up, "We'll tell them together okay."

The three of them walked into the kitchen as just as Sam bit down hard stifling the urge to yell his head off as his father pulled the ancient bullet out his arm.

"There you go," said John as he dropped the bullet into the bowl on the counter, Sam took a slug of whiskey out of the bottle that had mysteriously appeared by his side.

Sam looked up to see his brother standing between Buffy and Dawn, his hands stuffed in his pockets, "You are a shit shot dude."

Dean smirked, "Yeah right, next time I'll aim lower."

"Scary thing is how do know that he wasn't," joked John bandaging his son's wound, trying to hide the fact he was mourning the use of the last bullet.

Dean turned to Missouri, "Can you give us a minute."

"OK," Missouri said as she went out the door. John and Sam left staring at the three of them in the doorway.

"So what man? You running away to join the circus or something?" asked Sam seeing the serious expression on his brother's and the girl's faces.

"Nothing like that," Dean scratched his head, thinking of how best to start this, "Look Dad, what do you know about The Key?"

"The key?" asked John his curiosity peaked.

"Yeah you got a couple of mentions in your journal about it, two hunters you knew going over the edge muttering about 'The Key' and 'The Beast'?" Dean asked as Dawn forced her hand into his.

"Yeah, don't know much," John shrugged, "Could be something, both of those guys were out there to begin with, but for what they said, could be anything. Key to a door or part of a ritual to allow something to cross over. Thought it could be some sort of weapon."

Dawn and Buffy laughed a little as did Dean, but he continued on, "Yeah Dad funny that. Dad, Sam, meet the key."

"Hello." Dawn gave a little wave with her free hand.

"OK." Sam raised an eyebrow while trying out his arm. John looked at the girl.

"It's this thing that a hell god was looking for, so the people that were looking after it had to hide it in a way that I'd protect it, but I wouldn't know I was protecting it, well not at first anyway," Buffy explained.

Sam wordlessly handed his father the bottle, "So they put it in your baby sister?"

"You could say that." Dawn said smiling hoping that neither of them would go over the deep end, "They figured that Buffy would protect me, her little sister no matter what."

"She's gone by the way," Buffy added, "Glory, the hell god, she's no longer a threat."

"That's good." John held the bottle in his hand but not taking a drink yet, "So?"

"Well it's is part of me, always will be. It's this energy thing, but we don't use it. A lot of it was used when Glory opened the rip," Dawn said.

The three Winchesters looked at her, unsure what to say.

"Are you sure? It's not like you can take a blood test or something?" Dean asked in what for him was a tactful manner.

Both girls hit Dean in the arm.

"Will people please stop doing that!" Dean pleaded, "I've had what, less than an hour to deal with this, and you two have had what, years?"

"Sorry," Dawn said.

"Right and you don't use it. Never had the desire to?" Dean asked her.

"No, I can't, and I don't think I could even if I did. It would be too dangerous anyway," said Dawn mournfully. "I just want to not have to remember that the way I 'arrived' is different than everyone else. I just want to be like everyone else in that way, I want to be normal."

"You are normal," said Buffy, "Don't let anyone else tell you any different."

"Hey she ain't normal," Dean interrupted, "She's special okay, she's as much of a freak as the rest this family and I don't know about the rest of you, I'm proud of it."

Dawn smiled, before looking up him, "Thanks."

He winked at her, guessing that this was hard this was, "Look Da,d it is just that these guys had to hide it."

"Monks," added Buffy, "they were monks."

"And they stashed it in Dawn," said John, "So it would have the slayer to protect it."

"Yes." Said Dawn and Buffy in unison.

"It's just before they stashed it they had a little problem," explained Dean, hoping that at some point Sam would get what he was saying, "I suppose you can kind of say it was like that sheep they made Dolly, Polly, Lolly, hell I don't know? You know years ago, think I saw it on the boob tube, there was one sheep or was it a cow, but they made another one out of it. But this case, same, but she was made slightly different. And without the test tubes and white coats."

John just looked lost.

"What are you talking about bro?" Sam asked not sure if it was just the fact that he had been shot that was causing Dean's conversation not to make any sense.

"Yeah there was a sheep, and then you got those cell things that grew on stem that someone said that could make people like Michael J Fox stop shaking."

"Have we gone from mystical energy that must be protected, to clones and stem cells?" asked Sam gesturing to his father for the whiskey bottle.

"Yeah," Dean got excited, "But with monks instead of geeks."

"Are you comparing Dawn to sheep?" asked Buffy.

"No, not really." He said.

"She is not a farm yard animal." Buffy said stating the obvious.

"I know that princess, it's just that we don't deal with magical stuff on this level, in the same way you do." He replied, "They need you know an example in this world."

"But she is not a sheep," Buffy reiterated, "And what did I say about calling me Princess?"

He just shook his head at her, "Well, your name is stupid."

"My mom gave me my name. At least I'm not using stupid farm yard examples to explain this 'little brother'."

"I am trying to break this down for them – okay. So stop giving me a hard time."

"Right, well get back to the point." Buffy replied.

"I'm trying princess but you're not helping here," Dean continued, he turned to his father for a second but was unsure how to continue so turned back to be Buffy, "Why am I doing this?"

"You were the one who said we had to this now. We were planning on tomorrow."

"So you were planning on telling him?" asked Dean.

"Duh, of course we were." Dawn answered.

Dean turned quickly from both sisters,"So you two actually had a timetable? Why didn't you say so Princess?"

"That is the fourth time you've called me that." Buffy said, while John and Sam looked on bemused.

Sam looked as if he was about to say something, but Buffy put her hand to stop him.

She focused on Dean, "You do that one more time and I'm telling you little brother I will,"

"What you'll do what? Rip my arm off?" Dean dared her, "Anyway you stop with the little brother crap and I'll..."

Buffy glowered at him.

"Please will you stop it." Dawn yelled, "I'm happy you two have found something to bond over, but please can you do it at another time."

Both Dean and Buffy looked at her, "Sorry."

"Right, if anyone here has the right to act as if they are under twelve, it's me not you two!" Dawn took a breath, "It's not like they are going to shoot at either of you."

"No one is shooting at anyone alright," said the thoroughly confused John.

"Dawn, see it will be fine." Buffy promised.

"No, a slayer they understand that, you're like an uber hunter you know. They know what that is," said the obviously upset girl, "And at least you were really born."

"Dawnie, so were you, I remember you coming home from the hospital," said her sister.

Dawn held back the tears, "Yeah and my first steps right up to the time I caught you breaking curfew in junior high, but we know what they were."

Sam and John looked at the three of them, whatever the hell was going on they were taking their sweet time in actually explaining things.

"So you really do have all these, you know?" asked Dean, "She said you did, but I didn't think that it was actually true"

Maybe it was the blood loss mixed with whiskey, but the idea started to form in Sam's mind. The little things that had said, "_the way I 'arrived' is different from everyone else" "before they stashed it they had a little problem_," "_this case same but she was made slightly different" "we don't deal with magical stuff this powerful on a day to day basis_"_ "at least you were really born." _Maybe it was the look that Dawn had just thrown Dean. It was the same look his brother threw him when he had said something completely obvious that and the way her freckles were scattered over her nose, some of which had started to fade as the summer had begun to come to an end, just like they on his brother's.

Sam suddenly shot up, the stool flew backwards, he started gesturing wildly from Dawn to Buffy to his father, "Holy shit, that would mean that… oh shit…you weren't and they made… and you are really,"

"See I told he was smart," Dean said triumphantly to Buffy, suddenly they heard something smash in the room next door.

Both girls looked at each other, "Willow."

"I'm surprised she lasted this long," said Buffy, slightly irritated but seeing the look on her sister's face, "Right, they've had a hard day."

Dawn continued to look at her sister pleadingly, Buffy shook her head, "Right I'll go and make sure Missouri is okay."

She looked up at Dean, "I'll just be in the next room."

Dean nodded in acknowledgment.

As Buffy left, Dean squeezed Dawn's hand, Sam just looked dumbfound from the girl to his father. He bit his bottom lip and knotted his brow, unsure what to do.

Dean took a breath and looked seriously at his father, who was still playing catch up, "Look Dad from what I understand it's like this, Dawn here, didn't ask for it to happen. Neither did Buffy or their mother."

"Dean what do you think I was going to do?" John asked perturbed, what kind of man did his daughter think he was? More worryingly what type of man did Dean think he was, and seeing the faces Sam was pulling he seemed to be thinking the same thing as the other two, "They hid the thing in her without asking, right."

Dawn nodded cagily, "We didn't get a say, Glory was after it they had to there was no other way, they took a bit of Buffy and made... And I don't know how to use it."

"Right," Dean said, "And I know that they didn't mean to and that of course she ain't yours and mom's, but you know way I figure, you know the supernatural, it kinda took so much from us, that she kinda of a little reward you know."

Sam shot his brother a look, once he got over the shock part Dean would think about it like that, his brother and his whacked out sense of duty to his family.

"Dean what are you saying?" John asked beginning to catch up.

"They didn't have the time to do it any other way, they just took from her, I was still just the key. They fashioned all the memories and then I was there, I didn't know either."

"Right, so these monks just?" John asked beginning to catch up with Sam, "And they took a bit of your sister and?"

"See like that sheep," Dean said excitedly.

"But you don't have any powers like her?" asked Sam.

"No, slayer power isn't hereditary." Dawn stated.

"So they took a bit of her and they made?" John asked.

Dawn nodded, "They made her a full blooded sister."

John stood there, "Oh."

Tears began to well up in Dawn's eyes. Buffy was still next door with Giles trying to explain things to Missouri. She didn't want to do this on her own. She felt the arm move round her shoulder as he tried to reassure her. She looked up at him Dean just nodded, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Please, it's not her fault," Dawn begged John, "She didn't ask for it to happen. It just did. I'm not dangerous or anything, I swear, I'm human, I really am. But, I understand if you don't want to see me again just please don't hold it against her. I'll stay out your way. I'll do …" she started to cry.

Dean looked at John as did Sam, John didn't move for a second. He really needed time to process what this meant. If they made Buffy, his daughter, a sister that would that mean that Dawn was something that he would have thought of as unnatural though she hadn't done anything since she'd been here except help, even with everything else that had gone down. But if she was Buffy's full sister then she would also be? No that wasn't possible was it? The conversation with Giles about the two girls being a package deal suddenly seemed to make more sense.

John took as breath, and ran his hand through his hair, Sam was waiting to see what was going to happen, but John could see it in Dean's eyes. His eldest boy has made his decision, and there was no point in asking Buffy her thoughts they would be obvious. If he had gotten this straight, the girl in front of him wasn't born she was made; out of a bit of her sister, and that would make her as much a part of his family as the blonde girl who had walked out that door.

He really needed time to get his head round this, but the girl in front of him was trying so hard to hold it together. Christ, he could see it, she wasn't scared that they'd hurt her, she was absolutely terrified that they'd reject her. What had the man she called Dad done to her that she would prefer him to be in her life? For crying out loud, why the hell was she wanting him, surely anybody would be better than him, a man with more issues than names in the phone book.

John took a step towards her; Dean tensed, as did Sam.

John whispered something in Dawn's ear. He straightening up looked at Dean and nodded. Dean relaxed, as did Sam.

"So the other night with the 'proper' introductions, do you think you missed something?" John put out his hand, "My name is John and you are?"

She sniffed as she smiled; she put her arms round him, hoping that this wasn't a dream.

"Family looks after family, unless they are really trying to kill you huh?" Sam asked his brother, while handing him the bottle,

Dean nodded, "Sorry about the arm dude."

"Don't worry about it, though I get a free shot in some day." Sam said.

Dean gave his brother one of his shit eating grins, "Fair enough, the way you shoot figure I'm pretty safe."

"Bite me," said Sam hitting his brother.

Dean hit him back, "Shoot you first."

"Injured man here dude." Sam held onto his arm laughing lightly.

Buffy came back in, on seeing Dawn hugging their father, she looked over at Dean.

"We're good," he said.

"So you got anything else you want to tell me?" John asked Buffy while still hugging Dawn.

"Nothing really as huge as the stuff leading off from The Key and Dawn really," Buffy said.

"Define huge?" John questioned, why did he get the feeling that the usual parental worries of having daughters were a lot more complicated when dealing with these two.

"I'll let you work through this part and then I'll tell you." Buffy said.

"The dying thing?" Dean asked, "He's gonna love that."

"You said you'd died," John said, "You gonna tell me that story."

"What the first or the second time she died?" Dawn asked.

"Jesus Princess, you got a death wish." Dean snarked, "Don't answer that, obviously you do."

"Hey 'little brother' once you hear the whole story, you'll find out why I make sure I damn well know where Xander is at all times," Buffy said smiling.

Missouri stood in the hall, ringing her hands, just peering down the corridor, waiting to see what the Winchester's were up to.

John walked out first, Sam put his arm round his little sister. He just got a little sister. He knew it was a little juvenile but he just got someone he could boss around just like Dean did to him. True, he didn't take a blind bit of notice of his brother, but now he could do it to someone else.

"Sure they'll be fine with this?" Buffy asked.

Dean nodded, "They make up their minds about something pretty fast and they tend to stay made. But thankfully Sammy did grow out of that whole disturbing Sandra Bullock thing he went through, when he was in middle school."

"That's good to know," Buffy said, "Sandra Bullock?"

"Had to watch Speed, like a thousand times. Wasn't not too bad, but found he had a copy of 'When you were sleeping', that was embarrassing," Dean explained, "Dad's a stubborn SOB; if he was going blow he probably of already done it."

"He's taking it kind of well," she replied, "The whole finding out he has a fourth child and he wasn't even at the conception?"

"Takes the fun out it doesn't it?" Dean said, he scratched his chin, "I'm gonna have to totally rethink my approach to protection aren't I?"

"You are so disturbed!" She smiled as she watched John and Dawn. "My Mom just asked if she was really ours."

"She is ain't she?"

Buffy nodded, "Yeah she is."

"So apart from the being the slayer, got a magic made sister and dying, anything else you want to lay on me before you drop it on them?" Dean asked.

Buffy shrugged, "Not really. I suppose the only other real thing is that two of the major relationships I was in involved vampires."

"What you lost a couple of boyfriends to them?" Dean asked hoping that he hadn't just opened old wounds.

She shook her head.

"Your kidding?" he asked.

She turned to start into the other room.

"You're kidding right? Please God tell me you are kidding!" he started following her as she walked to join the others.

* * *

Whistler watched the various shadows pass the closed curtains as they moved around the front room.

"Good luck kid, you're going to need it"

He walked over to the car and got in.

"If were gonna have any chance of making it to Santa Fe before the sun comes up we'd better go."

The other occupant of the car looked longingly at the house, nodded and drove off.

* * *

A/N The sheep thing, just incase you didn't know, Dolly the sheep was the first mammal to be cloned successfully and lived to the ripe old age of six!


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